


So Kiss Me

by Kitsune_Moonstar



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: 30 Kisses Challenge, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - World War II, F/M, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-23
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-15 23:09:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 23,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/855044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsune_Moonstar/pseuds/Kitsune_Moonstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thirty stories for Roy and Riza for the thirty kisses challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Holding On

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters. This is for the 30 Kisses challenge using list epsilon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set during the war in Ishbal. Theme 10: Red Light.

****

**Holding On**

Nights in the desert were cold. Roy sighed and scooted closer to the small fire by his tent. He couldn't really bring himself to care. Physical discomfort meant very little anymore. He couldn't sleep, and he was sick of staring at the beige walls of his tent. The fire bathed everything in a red light. It didn't help his thoughts any.

This was not what he had wanted to do. This was not his dream. He didn't want to be a monster. He didn't want to have failed his teacher and Riza. Riza. Just thinking her name made him shudder. She had believed and trusted in him. And he had taken that trust and become exactly what her father had feared. Moreover, her trust in him had brought her to this bloody desert and stolen her innocence too. Roy wasn't sure he would ever forgive himself for that. Riza deserved better.

Movement startled him out of his thoughts. Roy looked up from the flames to find Riza standing across from him. He couldn't me her eyes. She carefully skirted around the fire before taking the seat beside him, nearly tucked up against his side. He could feel the warmth of her skin even through the layers of uniform that separated them. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

Roy carefully wrapped an arm around her. There was something comforting about this. Somehow, there was something about Riza's presence that made the pain in his chest lessen just a little. The wind blew around them, making the fire dance a little.

"You did not cause this," her voice was barely audible. "This was no more of your doing than it was mine. This was done to us."

To hid complete surprise, Riza took his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. "If you die now, I will never forgive you. You have to survive this if only to prove that flame alchemy can be used for something better than this."

She kissed him then, and Roy let himself fall into it, clinging to the small hope she offered. Riza still tasted sweet like he remembered, but he could also taste the salt of her tears. She pulled away, the kiss only lasting a brief minute, but he understood. It was too dangerous. They didn't need the trouble of being caught. Still, she stayed by his side all night, and Roy would hold on to that.


	2. Vitamin C

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set during Roy's time at Eastern HQ. Theme 1: Oranges.

****

**Vitamin C**

Roy juggled the bag of groceries as he let himself into his lieutenant's apartment. He could count on one hand the number of times he had been here. But then, it wasn't often that Hawkeye took a sick day either. Hayate greeted him at the door, clearly excited to have some company. The pup followed him to the kitchen where Roy began putting away the groceries he had brought.

He was far more domestic than most people guessed. He fed the puppy and started soup on the stove. He wanted Riza to sleep as long as possible. She had finally succumbed to the flu that was running through Eastern HQ, and he had ordered her to take sick leave. Hawkeye had been so busy taking care of everyone else that she had neglected to take care of herself. The faster she got better the quicker the office would get back to normal. Any time Hawkeye missed meant a reduction in their productivity. Truthfully, Roy was not in a hurry for her to get better. He didn't want her to be sick, but Riza's being sick allowed him to give himself days off to take care of her.

Beginning to assemble a lunch tray, Roy let out a sigh. He loved this woman more than anything, and it was so seldom that he got to show her how much he cared. Roy knew that it was one of the sacrifices they had to make to reach his goals, but it was one of the ones he hated the most. Riza deserved so much better, but he was too selfish to give her up. He fixed the tea to her liking and ladled soup into a bowl before finding crackers to go with it. Last of all he added a small dish of orange slices. The vitamin c would be good for her, and it was tradition after all. His mother had always fed him and his sisters the sweet mandarin oranges when they were sick as children.

With the tray prepared, he headed for Riza's bedroom. He found her curled up under a mountain of comforters still fast asleep. Roy set the tray on her dresser and went to wake. He had hardly touched her shoulder when a pair of sleepy amber eyes met his own.

"Sir?" She blearily considered him. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be doing paperwork at the office?"

Her voice was soft and hoarse. Roy couldn't help smiling. That was his lieutenant all right. "We both know I'd never get anything done without you there. I brought you lunch."

He helped her sit up in bed and propped her up with pillow before setting the tray across her lap. "Are you hungry?"

She nibbled on an orange slice. "You didn't have to do this, sir."

Roy just smiled. "You deserve to have someone take care of you when you're sick. Besides, I'm being more productive here than I would be at the office."

He entertained her over lunch with stories of his sisters' childhood escapades. Riza sipped her tea, not laughing, but he could see amusement in her eyes. Afterwards, he cleaned up and tucked her back into bed.

"You really don't have to do this, sir," she coughed weakly.

"Hush," he stroked her hair. "Just sleep, Riza."

It didn't take long for her to drop back into sleep. He kissed her forehead, tucking the covers up around her then turned out the lamp before settling back in his chair to watch her sleep. Tomorrow he would have to go back to being her colonel but not just yet.


	3. Partings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 15: Separated.

**Parting**

With a sigh, Roy shut his suitcase. The room that had been his home for the past years was now as bare as it was when he had arrived. It held more memories now. It was hard to believe that he was done here. He had learned everything he could from his teacher save for flame alchemy, and Roy doubted that Professor Hawkeye would be teaching him that. He was ready to apply what he had learned to world. Roy just wished his teacher felt the same way.

"So you're really going."

He turned to find Riza standing in the doorway. At fifteen, she still looked very much like a tomboy, but she had been filling out lately. Roy had been trying not to notice. His teacher had made it very clear that Riza was off limits to anyone. Roy considered himself lucky that his friendship with her hadn't caused him too much trouble in the end.

"Yes. Your father doesn't have any more to teach me, and I can't stay here forever. I want to make my country a better place, and I can do that with my alchemy."

She bit her lip. Roy sat down on his bed and held out a hand to her. Riza joined him on the bed. They sat shoulder to shoulder. Riza leaned her head on his shoulder, and Roy wrapped an arm around her. For all the strength in Riza, she was surprisingly fragile at times. Truthfully, he didn't know what to say. Part of him felt guilty for leaving Riza here alone with her father. As much as he admired and respected his teacher, Roy didn't think he was a very good father. Riza was isolated enough as it was, and Roy knew that he was probably her closest friend. That wasn't saying much. They were close, but Roy could hardly claim that he really _knew_ Riza.

Riza shifted a little next to him and let out a soft sigh. It was probably the closest he'd get to an admission to the fact that she didn't want him to go. She was good at hiding her feelings. Roy held her a little tighter.

"No matter what happens, Riza, if you need me, you can always call on me." He gave her a rueful smile. "Unfortunately, we both know that I'm horrible at letter writing."

A little of the tension left her with that.

"This isn't goodbye, Riza." He gently stroked her hair. "I have no intention of never seeing you again."

Roy turned so he was facing her and kissed her forehead. "I'll miss you. And I promise I'll keep in touch. Even if it does amount to dated weather reports."

That prompted a tiny smile. Riza reached up a hand to touch his cheek.

"I'll miss you too, Roy."

Riza reached up and kissed him. It was awkward, she probably had never done this before, but her mouth was soft and sweet almost like caramel. He kissed back, holding her close and savoring the feel of Riza in his arms. He had wanted to kiss her for a while now. Riza drew away with a soft, sad smile.

"So you won't forget me."

Roy hugged her close again. He wouldn't ever forget her.


	4. In the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set during Roy's time at Eastern HQ. Theme 9: Closet.

**In the Dark**

It had been a fairly normal day up until the point when Havoc had shoved her into the closet. Riza was unsure what exactly had prompted this behavior on his part, but it was rather inconvenient. There were stacks of paperwork to get dealt with before the end of the day.

"Havoc, let me out!"

Something in the darkness stirred, and Riza backed into the door, reaching for her guns.

"Hawkeye?"

"Sir?" She frowned, unable to see anything. "Did they shove you in too?"

A hand found her shoulder, and Mustang drew her back against his chest. He sighed.

"Yes. Havoc said something about how sick everyone was of us dancing around the subject. They're trying to set us up."

Riza sighed. "Of course they are."

Roy changed the subject. "Is there a light in here?"

"It's burnt out. The requisition form for more light bulbs is on your desk."

"This is ridiculous." Roy slipped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I'd shoot the lock, but I'm worried about aiming in the dark. Can you do anything?"

"Not without risky setting the building on fire. I can't gauge how much fire to use without being able to see. So what are we going to do?"

"What can we do but wait?"

The truth of the matter was there was no need for this sort of intervention. She and Roy had been married for as long as Maes and Gracia had. It wasn't public knowledge, but it provided them with a security net. If necessary, First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye could disappear, and there would be a whole new identity waiting for her. Their marriage had been in part impulse and in part to give them both something to hold on to. It had been a foolish decision for sure, but Riza was grateful for it.

For their own protection, they didn't act like a married couple. They kept their own apartments and, to most people, appeared to simply be working colleagues. The way they kept each other at arm's length at work was simply part of that. In private their behavior was a different story. Roy just had the unfortunate luck to have a bunch of closet romantics for subordinates. They had been trying to get the two of them together for nearly two years now. It was sweet of them. Completely unnecessary and obnoxious but still rather sweet. Still, the darkness was comfortable. Riza shut her eyes and leaned into her husband. Time spent alone just enjoying each other's presence was often rare, especially this close to the quarterly inspections.

They stood there in the dark wrapped in each other's arms, mostly unaware of the passage of time. Noises outside of the closet filter their way through the door. It seemed like freedom was close at hand. Roy kissed the top of her head before letting go of her.

"Are you going to kill them?"

"Of course not. That would generate paperwork, and they wouldn't suffer enough. But I'm not going to tell them that."

The door began to open, and Riza smiled and reached for her guns.


	5. Taking Her Medicine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 7: Three Times A Day Before Meals.

**Taking Her Medicine**

Roy nervously hovered as the doctor examined Riza. He'd been worried about Riza for the past few days, but Riza had insisted that it was just a sniffle. This morning she hadn't woken up and her face flushed from the fever. At least he had been allowed to call a doctor. He'd been concerned that his teacher would refuse to let him get help. There were times when he worried about his teacher. He wished the man cared as much for his daughter as he did for his research.

The doctor nodded at him. "She'll be fine, Master Mustang. Miss Hawkeye has a mild infection. Just make sure she gets plenty of rest and takes her pills three times a day before meals. She should take the first one immediately before lunch."

Roy nodded and took the pills the man handed him and thanked him. Once the doctor was gone, he tucked the covers back around her. She had been in and out of sleep all morning. The fever had been giving her the most trouble. He gently placed a cold wash cloth on her forehead. Riza coughed weakly and blinked at him. Riza let out a little sigh and settled into a more natural sleep.

Once he was sure that she was resting, he went downstairs to make lunch. Roy carefully put together a tray for Riza, including a small bowl of orange slices. His mother had always fed him orange slices when he was sick, and Roy hoped it would comfort Riza as much as it did him. When the food was ready, he carried the tray up to her room. A pot of sweet lemon tea, a bowl of orange slices, a bowl of soup, some crackers, and her pills.

Setting the tray on her nightstand, Roy took the little pill and attempted to wake the girl up.

"Riza? Hey, I need you to take this."

Sleepy eyes blinked at him, and she made a face. "Don't like medicine."

"I know, sweetheart, but it'll make you feel better." The endearment slipped out on its own. "After you've taken you medicine, there's soup and tea for you."

It took a little more coaxing, but she finally took the pill. With that over with, Riza applied herself to the food. She seemed to like the tea and the orange slices the best. When she had stopped eating and was just picking at the remaining food, Roy took the tray away. Riza let out a half cough, half yawn. Roy once again tucked the covers around her and made sure she was comfortable while Riza watched with half open eyes.

"Mister Mustang?"

"Roy," he corrected gently. "Sleep, Riza."

Her eyes closed. "Thank you."

Roy pulled a chair up to her bed. He wasn't going to leave her. He kissed her little hand and settled into the chair by her bedside. He wasn't going anywhere. When morning dawned, it illuminated two children asleep, hands still entwined.


	6. Out of Ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 2: Pens on the Floor.

**Out of Ink**

It wasn't that he minded paperwork so much. It was just boring, and he was easily distracted. However, it did give Roy a chance for one of his favorite pastimes: Hawkeye watching. It was his favorite way to fill time at the office. Despite knowing her for years, he never tired of observing Riza. Of course, it wouldn't do to have his lieutenant realize that.

Days like this he spent his time covertly watching his lieutenant and slipping into daydreams. Roy often wondered if she knew just how wonderful she was. There were days when he was hard pressed not to pull her across the desk and kiss her senseless. He loved her smile, her eyes, her stern demeanor. All of them made up the incredible woman that she was. He really should do something to let her know how much she meant to him. He knew that he had said it before, but Roy never felt like he said and showed her how he felt enough.

"Sir?"

He jumped at the sound of her voice. The pen slid from his fingers. Hawkeye sighed and bent down to retrieve it. She straightened slightly to place the pen on his desk, and Roy found their faces mere inches part. His hand slipped behind her neck, pulling her face down to his. Her lips were warm and sweet, and he could tell she'd been eating lemon drops. He pulled her, closer and the movement disturbed the large stack on paperwork on his desk. The stack of paper slid just enough to tip the pen holder over the edge, sending the pens scattering across the floor.

With a soft, little sigh, she broke the kiss, and Roy let her go. Neither said anything. Hawkeye sighed again and knelt down to retrieve the pens. She gathered all of them up and returned to the holder before restoring the holder to its rightful place on the desk. Roy's eyes narrowed when he caught sight of one that she had missed, the original pen he had dropped. She must have dropped it when he kissed her. He followed her movements as Riza once again picked it, this time choosing to hand it directly to him.

He captured her wrist instead of taking it. His lips ghosted over her ink stained fingers, and the pen slipped from her fingers. Roy caught her hand before she could reach for it again, twining their fingers together.

"Leave it."


	7. One Last Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 5: Last in Line.

**One Last Kiss**

Roy didn't know whose idea this had been, but when he found out, they were going to be a tiny pile of ashes. This was completely ridiculous even if it was for a good cause. The money was for military orphans and widows. Thankfully, it wasn't the only part of the annual Military Street Fair, but Roy was still dreading the coming crowds. He was armed only with a giant bag of mints and a tube of lip balm and had to face the reality of running the kissing booth.

Everyone else had been highly amused by his assignment. Roy sighed. Hughes would have loved this. In fact, he probably would have spent the day at Roy's side, taking pictures of Roy with every customer that showed up. Roy was just hoping to survive the day. He had already decided that next year the orphans and widows could fend for themselves.

Gracia and Elysia had stopped by early in the day. Elysia had been the one who wanted a kiss from her Uncle Roy. She had cheerful held out the money and beamed at him.

"Can I have a kiss, Uncle Roy?"

He would have given her one for free. Still, Roy kissed his goddaughter's cheek. Gracia also bought a kiss and took it on the cheek. Somehow, Roy doubted the rest of his customers would be that easy to please. He braced himself for a long day. This was not going to be pleasant. Roy pasted on a smile as more customers began to arrive.

The day dragged on. Roy was very busy. He must have kissed more woman in the past eight hour than he had in the past year. Most of them just wanted to claim they had kissed the Flame Alchemist, but there were a few that were actually rather nice. There were also a few that needed some persuasion to leave. Winry Rockbell bought a kiss about midday. Roy gave her one on the cheek. He had no intention of getting killed today, and Edward had been hovering. He hoped that it would provide the incentive the kid needed to make a move on the girl.

Everything was beginning to close up when she appeared. It wasn't until he saw Hawkeye that he realized it was the first time he'd seen her all day. She wore civilian clothes, and he belatedly remembered that it was her day off. With the setting sun reflected in her unbound hair, Roy didn't thing there was anything more beautiful.

"One kiss, please." She set the money on the counter. "I expect it to be worth the cost."

Roy felt his lips curve into smirk at her challenge. Walking around the side of the booth so they were closer, he slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. He brought his lips down on hers softly, teasing her. Riza parted her lips, and Roy could taste sweet popcorn and cotton candy in her mouth. When there was no air left between them, he pulled away.

"Was that your money's worth or should I try again?"


	8. Tradition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 25: Quintessential.

**Tradition**

There were certain traditions that were always observed in the office when it came to Valentine's Day. Mustang's staff was used to it. Surprisingly, neither the colonel nor his lieutenant actually liked Valentine's Day. He found it mildly obnoxious, and she disliked the extra work it caused. The colonel did his best to lay low and avoid the female population until the holiday was over. All in all, it typically was a fairly quiet day in the office. However, there were some office traditions that were never broken.

Hawkeye was always in the office early on Valentine's Day. She mostly came to personally go through all of the cards and notes, saving any she thought he should actually see. The chocolate was also sorted by type and then would be passed around for everyone in the office to share. By Mustang's command, Hawkeye had first pick of the chocolate. She had a preference for dark chocolate and interesting flavors like lavender and lemon and raspberry.

When he slunk into the office late in the morning, Roy found a neat stack of cards on his desk along with the usual paperwork. He pursued them warily. He trusted Hawkeye, but sometimes the odd obnoxious note slipped through. There was nothing like that today though. Elysia had sent him a Valentine this year. The handmade card was covered in crayon drawing of hearts and what looked like a teddy bear. Roy made a mental note to get his goddaughter for White Day and to think about getting her art lessons for her next birthday.

Roy picked out a few caramels for himself and got to work. Valentine's Day was one of the few times of the year that he did his paperwork without being nagged. It was his way of thanking Hawkeye for the effort she put into making sure he survived the day. Besides dealing with the cards, she also screened his calls and visitors. Inevitably, there always was at least one woman who would show up at the office demanding to see him. Hawkeye dealt with them just efficiently as she ran the rest of the office.

The day almost always ended quietly no matter what the excitement earlier. Roy would walk home with his lieutenant, for his safety and well being of course. And he never commented on the kiss to his cheek when they parted or the little box of his favorite sea salt caramels that had some how ended up in his pocket. It would break tradition after all.

* * *

White Day was better than Valentine's but not by much. Thankfully, her co-workers kept most of her admirers away. Normally, Riza preferred that they didn't interfere with her personal life, but this one day it was allowed. She didn't need the distraction from work. The boys also tended to try and do something nice for her.

So she wasn't surprised to find a little basket on her desk when she came in from lunch. There were a number of goodies in it. The canister of her favorite tea along with packets of honey and sugar were from Havoc. He was the only one besides Mustang and her grandfather who knew exactly how she took her tea. The new leash and collar for Black Hayate were from Fuery. Breda was responsible for the shortbread cookies, and Falman had provided the copy of one of her favorite mystery novels. Even Edward and Alphonse had bought her a box of chocolates.

There was always a bouquet on her desk on White Day. The type of flowers changed but there were always flowers. This year it was calla lilies. Riza smiled. She didn't bother to look for a note. There wouldn't be one. It didn't matter anyway. She knew who they were from. Ever since she had been assigned as Mustang's adjunct, there had been flowers on her desk for White Day. The first year it had been Sweet Williams, and they had changed every year after that. He'd never once repeated the type of flowers.

Like Valentine's Day, it was one of the few days of the year where she didn't have to nag the boys about their paperwork. Even Mustang did his without complaint. She preferred that over any other gift. If only Riza could get him to do it that easily the rest of year. Of course, it that happened, things might get boring around here. If Mustang got bored, who knew the trouble he might get himself into? She was probably better off having to nag him to do the paperwork.

After work, Mustang walked with her as they headed home. Their apartments were in the same direction for the most part. And it was raining. Riza felt better knowing that he wasn't out in this alone. Somewhere along the line, he slipped his hand into hers. Riza didn't pull away. No words were exchanged, but then they didn't need any. Roy's pace slowed as the approached his apartment. He kissed her once as they stood under her umbrella then disappeared inside. Riza smiled and headed home, her fingers wrapped around a little box of anise flavored white chocolates.


	9. Fishbowl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 29: Twice Begun.

**Fishbowl**

Roy sighed. This really was ridiculous. It wasn't like it was their first date. Well, okay, it was their first "official" date, but still it shouldn't generate this much interest. Roy had known about the betting pool for years (he was pretty sure Hughes had started it), but this was getting out of hand. He had the sinking suspicion that he was going to be followed when he left work tonight. His subordinates were not being very discreet.

It had all started innocently enough. Roy had asked Hawkeye out to dinner. With the new government getting started and the fraternization rules altered, it had seemed like a nice treat for them both. A night out together was not something they had much opportunity to do in the past. She had accepted, and then the insanity had begun. The boys in the office were trying to figure out who exactly won the betting pool for Roy and Riza's first date.

Roy was aware of the fact this was not their first date, but he still wanted it to be a special evening for them both. In some ways, it was a new beginning for them. He did not appreciate his minion's interference. He just wanted some time alone with the woman he loved. Was that too much to ask? It was just dinner out after all.

He showed up a Riza's door on time and neatly dressed with a bouquet of irises tucked under his arm. They had agreed on civilian clothes for the evening. Riza answered the door wearing a dark red dress and cream colored sweater. She took the flowers with a smile. Roy swore he heard a camera shutter.

"Why don't you come in a few minutes while I put these in some water?"

Roy followed her inside and sat on her couch, entertaining her dog, while she put the flowers in a vase. Then he helped her into her coat, and they headed out the door with Riza's hand tucked in the crook of his arm. They walked to the restaurant. It was a nice enough evening, and while the weather was crisp, it wasn't too cold. Gracia was the one who had recommended the restaurant. Apparently, it was someplace she and Maes had gone often to celebrate. It didn't take them long to find be seated and flip through the menus. A waiter took their orders, and then the two of them were left alone.

Well, not exactly alone because they both were aware of the two men in the corner who were watching them as well as the two across the street pretending to read newspapers. Roy gave her a rueful smile.

"I'm sorry about this. They really are being ridiculous."

Riza laughed; he had missed that sound. "Just ignore them. Maybe they'll go away."

It was a lovely evening. The food was wonderful, and he and Riza managed to forget their audience enough to enjoy their conversation. Roy doubted he would ever forget the way Riza's eyes lit up when she saw the chocolate truffles on the dessert menu. Afterwards, he managed to talk her into some dancing. There was very little that he enjoyed more than having Riza in his arms. It wasn't until his feet were complaining that they left the dance floor and began the walk home.

They were being followed again, and Roy just shook his head. Hopefully, after tonight the guys would just leave them alone. And he was definitely going to have to confiscate all the photos. Hopefully, there would be one or two good ones of them in there that he could add to his collection. He walked Riza to the front porch of her building.

"I had a really nice time tonight."

She smiled and leaned in close to him. "So did I."

Riza darted in closer, and Roy suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a rather intense kiss. She finally pulled away and brushed her nose against his own.

"Next time we'll just have a nice quiet night in, away from prying eyes." She threw a glace over his shoulder. "Havoc, you and the others have two minutes to leave before I start shooting."

Roy grinned as he heard the scuffling sounds of a hasty retreat. Riza turned her eyes back on him.

"Would you like to come upstairs for some tea?"

"I'd love to."

It wasn't a bad first date, even if it wasn't really one. With a smile, Roy followed her upstairs.


	10. Equivalent Exchange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 4: Quid Pro Quo (One Thing for Another).

**Equivalent Exchange**

It started on a very bad day. Riza had been having the day from hell, and Mustang had temped fate. He'd had something with chocolate in it for lunch. She had seen the stray bit of chocolate on just at the corner of his lips. The door was shut behind her, and Riza followed her impulses for once. She kissed the corner of his mouth, her tongue flickering out to taste the traces of chocolate on his skin. Riza pulled away to find Roy staring at her with dark eyes. Riza just smiled and walked out of the room, leaving the files on his desk.

That had started it. Over the rest of the course of the day, Riza found herself looking for opportunities to ambush the man. She managed to kiss him twice more before he turned the tables on her. They had been heading back from a meeting and discussing their next plan of action. Mustang had waved her into his office then backed her against the door and kissed her nearly senseless. That was when thing got serious.

There was a contest going on, and they were the only ones who knew it. She had the advantage for the most part. Things had started two-one in her favor, and Riza kept her lead for the most par. They found ways to work kisses in between almost any activity when they were alone. They tried to be sneaking about it, but that didn't always work. It became almost common place. Her lips just brushing his cheek before she flitted off back to her own desk. Mustang pressing a kiss to her knuckles as he took files from her hands. She dropping kiss on the top of his head when she proofread papers over his shoulder. Riza knew that they were taking a risk by doing this in the office, but neither one of them was about to back down. It had almost gotten to the point where they were even with a kiss for a kiss score wise.

It lasted a week. Riza knew things were getting dangerous and had warned Roy that whoever had a higher score would win. Of course, she didn't mention what the prize was. It had been a neck at neck until the last few hours. She had leaned over his desk, setting down a stack of papers, and he couldn't help himself. The next thing she knew she had been pulled into his lap. His arms slipped around her waist, holding her in place while he kissed her. Then barely ten minutes later, Roy sealed the deal.

With her arms full of paperwork, it was an easy victory. Roy backed her into a wall and kissed her until he heard footsteps in the hall. When he pulled away his eyes were dark, and his lips were warm beside her ear. "I win."

She nodded breathless and made her escape. She had some plans she needed to make. She really wasn't too upset about losing, but she had a feeling that Mustang was going to be pretty pleased with his spoils.

Roy came home to find Riza curled up in his bed. She smiled up at him. "Don't you want your prize?"


	11. Wintergreen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 23: Addiction.

**Wintergreen**

Maria Ross bit her lip. Something was up with her boss. Normally, General Hawkeye was a delight to work for, but lately she had been acting rather odd. It had started out with frequent trips to the bathroom. And when Maria said frequent, she meant once every five minutes. Those trips had evened out some these days. She was still making more bathroom trips than normal though.

No, the new oddity was the General's obsession with wintergreen lifesavers. The general had started eating wintergreen lifesavers at work. It had gotten to the point that if the general didn't have a lifesaver in her mouth, it was odd. She wasn't sure what the appeal was. Lifesavers were fine, she preferred the cherry ones, but normally Maria would prefer chocolate as a constant snack. And the habit really wasn't like the general very much. The woman was practically addicted to the sweets.

The mystery was driving her crazy. Maria supposed it was better than worrying about if you were going to survive the next few hours, but the fact that it was only distraction she had from her paperwork was wearing on her. She just couldn't figure out what was going on. General Hawkeye had never acted like this before. With a sigh, she turned back to the report she was working on.

She was interrupted when Fuhrur Mustang showed up for an unscheduled meeting with the general. Maria had long since gotten used to those. He left the door open when he went into the office, and Maria couldn't help watching the scene inside.

The Fuhrur gently kissed his wife's forehead. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Much. Gracia said the morning sickness shouldn't last too much longer. And the lifesavers are helping."

"Good. I was worried about you."

The general smiled up at him. "I know, but I'm fine, and you need to go finish your paperwork, so we can get home at a reasonable hour tonight."

The Fuhrur pouted, and Maria got back to work. The rest of their conversation was one they'd had nearly every day since Mustang had taken his position. She smiled to herself. At least she knew what was going on with the wintergreen lifesavers now.

Maria really wasn't all that surprised when the Fuhrur announced two weeks later that he and his wife were expecting their first child.


	12. Night Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 26: In the Middle.

**Night Fears**

There was one nasty storm going on outside, but Roy was happily snuggled in bed with his wife. There was really no place he would rather be. They had managed to get home on schedule for once, and they had managed to have a family dinner and sometime to just relax together before bedtime. Roy doubted he was going to be able to sleep with the storm going on, but a little sleep deprivation wasn't going to hurt him, and perhaps Riza would wake up as well before the storm was over.

He heard movement in the halls, and the bedroom door opened then closed.

"Mama?" A dark haired child appeared on his wife's side of the bed.

Riza blinked sleepily at her daughter. "Rowan? What's the matter?"

Rowan was all of seven years old and rather a serious child. But she was child enough to crawl into bed with her parents during a storm.

"The storm woke me up."

Riza shifted closer to him and made room for her daughter on the bed. Rowan cuddled close to her mother with a soft sigh, and Roy couldn't help but smile. Resting her head on her mother's chest, she closed her eyes. Roy could just see the top of her head from his position. Several minutes passed without a sound from the little girl.

"Is she asleep?"

"Yes." Riza stroked her daughter's hair.

Roy pressed a kiss to his wife's shoulder.

"Daddy?" Roy blinked and turned over to find their other child standing on his side of the bed. Wordlessly, he lifted the covers up, so Chris could slide into bed. His son scooted into bed, pulling his teddy bear after him. The blond five year old yawned and immediately went back to sleep. Thankfully, the bed was easily big enough for the four of them. Pressed back to back with his wife in the middle of the bed, Roy sighed and closed his eyes, completely content.


	13. Marked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 8: Tattoos and Piercings.

**Marked**

With a happy sigh, Riza closed the freezer. Her arms were full of several pints of ice cream. She headed for the living room of the house she shared with five other university students. There had been seven of them originally, but Gracia had moved out when she married Maes Hughes. They were still closer, however, and Gracia was joining them for today's events. The big game was today, and they had opted for a girls night in while their respective significant others took in all the sports mania.

"I've got the ice cream." Riza grinned at the assembled women and started handing the pints to their respective owners.

"I think we are set. Jane Austen marathon here we come." Maria sank into the beanbag chair. "So, what's first? _Sense and Sensibility_ , _Mansfield Park_ , _Northanger Abbey_ , or _Pride and Prejudice_?"

Gracia curled up on the couch. " _Mansfield Park_."

"Any objections?"

There were none, and so the movies began. Between the ice cream and the Jane Austen, all of them were in a pretty good mood. It wasn't often that the seven of them got together anymore. Life had been busy lately, and they could all use the break. As the credits from the first movie rolled to a close, Winry sighed from her spot surrounded by books of graphic art and tattoo designs. Both she and her friend, Sheska were trying to figure out what they wanted to get for their tattoos. However, Sheska was having a better time figuring out what she wanted.

Winry sighed. "I still can't figure this out."

Riza looked up from her ice cream. "You don't have to get one."

"But I want one." She fingered the piercings in her ear. "It's just hard to figure out what would be meaningful and still look good. What about you guys? Don't some of you have tattoos?

Maria giggled and pulled up her pants' leg. A small phoenix took flight across her ankle. "I got it after my semester in Xing. You know back when I got accused of plagiarism and it looked like I was going to get expelled? Second chances and all."

Ranfan pulled her arm out of her sleeve, so everyone could see her shoulder. She traced the calligraphy on her shoulder absently. "There are three characters: loyalty, trust, and love. I wanted something that would symbolize our connection but that wouldn't give Ling a swelled head."

"Wow." Winry gave them both a half smile. "I kind of want something that would be significant for me and Ed. Of course, I could always get something that reflects my major."

Gracia nodded. "That would work too. It all really depends on what you like best."

To most of the others' surprise, Gracia pulled down the top of her pants to expose a delicate little tattoo. It perched on her hip, a caduceus formed of delicate green vines and perfectly suited to the nursing student.

Sheska blinked at the tattoo. "I didn't know you had that."

A blush actually kissed the woman's cheeks. "Maes and I both got tattoos just before we got married. But really, Riza's the one with an impressive tattoo."

She sighed, but really she should have guessed it would come up. Her tattoo had not entirely been her choice, but Riza had come to like it. It was actually two tattoos. The first had been created by her father. That one hadn't been her choice. But the second tattoo, the one that had completed the first one, had been designed by Roy, her father's apprentice and Riza's closest friend. Taking in her friends' curious stares, Riza pulled her tank top off. Her entire upper back was covered with fine crimson lines that formed an intricate array. Roy's design had gone on top of her father's to complete the design. It would take a master alchemist to decode all the symbols and words on her back, and that was only if they knew Roy's codes for things. One of the reasons Riza had come to love the tattoo was the fact that only she and Roy knew the full meaning of it.

"Sweet." Winry's voice was soft and reverent. "That is amazing. I never knew you had that."

Riza slipped her top back on. "It's a long story, and it's sort of hard to explain. What's important is that it means something to me. That's all you really have to worry about."

They switched to _Sense and Sensibility_ , and Riza settled down to enjoy the movie. She was fairly that Winry would get things figured out eventually. Sometimes it just took a little time.


	14. Flames and Moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 16: Reason for Existing.

**Flames and Moonlight**

The moon was peeking through the window, casting its light on the sleeping woman beside him. His wife lay curled on her side, hair spilling across the pillows. In the moonlight, she looked like carved ivory. His fingers hovered over the familiar lines covering her back. The scars still grieved him, but they too had become familiar. She held his world. He had saved the country for its people, but she was the one who had saved the world for him.

He didn't know how long he had loved this woman. It had become hard to even remember his life before her. Riza was the one thing that he could not live without.

They had been married this afternoon. Roy still wasn't quite sure it had really happened. He was still surprised half the time by the fact that they were both still alive. Neither of them had expected to survive the changes they were trying to make to their country. Of course, things hadn't exactly gone the way they expected with that either. Still, Olivier Armstrong was doing a fine job running the country, and they still had their lives. Their victory had turned out to be more sweet than bitter. They had both been forbidden from any more political or military service, but they could live that. It wasn't exactly happily ever after, but it was close enough for him.

Roy let out a content sigh as he gently trailed his fingers along the crimson lines on her back. He didn't want to wake her, but he found touching her soothing. Riza needed her rest. It had been a long day for them both, and they hadn't actually gone to sleep until well past midnight. Given his plans for tomorrow, which included not getting out of bed until nearly noon, he needed to let her rest up. And there was just something about the way she looked as she lay within the circle of his arms, peaceful in sleep, that made him feel that his entire purpose in the world was to be with her.

"Roy?" Her sleepy voice drew him out of his thoughts. "Go to sleep. You're keeping me up."

Riza shifted in his arms, her own arms slipping around him, and she tucked her head under his chin. Roy kissed the top of her head and did his best to follow his new wife's instructions.


	15. Someday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 18: The Next Best Thing.

**Someday**

Riza wasn't really paying attention to the droning words of the officiant. He wasn't that interesting, and she didn't think that he would be finished anytime soon. She wasn't worried about missing the signal to pass Gracia Maes' wedding ring. After all, Maes had to go first, and if she missed that, then she was really out of it. It still felt a little awkward to be Gracia's maid of honor, but Riza was getting more comfortable with the older woman. They hadn't known each other long, but Gracia was one of the few women that Riza would count as her friend.

Maes and Gracia's wedding ceremony was a fair sized one. At least half of the people attending were Gracia's extended family, and they were one of the reasons Riza had been asked to be the maid of honor. Otherwise, Gracia would have to choose between her cousins to appoint the honor, and that was a recipe for a disastrous experience. Since Riza had been chosen, all the cousins could bond under that affront. Still, things had gone very well. Riza stole a glance over at Maes and Roy. Both of the men looked very official in the dress uniforms.

They hadn't looked that way this morning. The corners of Riza's mouth twitched at that thought. She was thankful she had made sure to check on them before the ceremony. Otherwise the groom and his best man might have showed up the ceremony looked rather unkempt. Riza slipped into the room they had been given to wait in about an hour before the ceremony to make sure they had managed to get themselves dressed all right. At the time she had to bite back a giggle and get their uniforms and medals straightened out. Maes looked like he was in shock as he gazed at Gracia.

She couldn't really blame him for that. Gracia looked stunning in her white silk gown. Pale green ribbons accented the simple dress, and she carried a bouquet of calla lilies symbolizing majestic beauty. They suited both the bride and the wedding's theme of spring very well. Riza's own dress was the same pale green of Gracia's ribbons. Gracia had solved the problem of the sleeveless bridesmaid's dresses with a matching shrug for Riza. It covered her back and neck quite well and actually looked lovely as well. Her own bouquet was the same as the rest of the bridesmaids: forget-me-knots and lily of the valley. They represented faithful love and sweetness.

The officiant began the ring exchange, and it didn't take much longer Maes was given permission to kiss his new wife. She was truly happy for them. Maes and Gracia deserved all the happiness in the world. She traded a look with Roy as he tucked her arm in his, and they followed Maes and Gracia down the aisle. The four of them would be riding together to the hall where the reception was being held. It wasn't a long drive, and once they were there, Gracia and Riza excused themselves to the ladies room to get Gracia's veil removed and her train bustled for dancing.

When they returned, it was time to take their seats at the high table and get things started. There were the requisite speeches. Roy's was probably the best. It was certainly more entertaining than the others. Then Maes and Gracia had their first dance, and the party really began. Things were quite lovely until it came time for the bouquet and garter toss. Riza was pulled into the crowd of single young woman, and then was more than a little miffed when she caught the projectile coming at her instinctively. Still there was nothing she could do about it right now. Riza sat down in the chair indicated and waited for the garter toss.

Maes made quite a production of removing Gracia's garter. Riza would swear he aimed the damn thing when he slung it into the crowd of eligible men since it hit Roy square in the face. Roy met her eyes, and she shrugged slightly. She didn't think they were going to get out of this. Riza blushed as she held out her ankle for him to slip the garter onto her leg. Roy's hands were warm, and they lingered a little longer than strictly necessary. Then Roy rose to his feet and took her hand, leading her out onto the dance floor. The song playing was a gentle waltz, something they could both manage despite rusty dancing skills. Roy spun her around the dance floor, holding Riza closer than strictly necessary. But she didn't complain, and he didn't let go. They took what they could have with one another.

It was easy to forget this wasn't their day. In so many ways, it almost felt like this was their wedding, but it wasn't their wedding. There was a good chance they would never have a wedding. If Roy succeeded in his plans, they mostly would be dead before they had a chance to be married. Still, there was a possibility that it might happen. A dim hope. Until then, this was the next best thing.

Roy leaned in closer to her, his lips just brushing her ear, his voice barely a whisper. "Some day, Riza. I promise. Some day."


	16. Empty Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 28: Broke/Poor.

**Empty Heart**

Riza sighed and buried her face in her hands. She just didn't know what to do. With her father buried, she was running out of time. When Richard Hawkeye had died last week, he had left his daughter alone in the world and with more debt that she could possibly repay. Riza hadn't even had the money for a funeral. That had been handled by her father's former apprentice. Riza considered it lucky that Roy Mustang had shown up when he did. She didn't know what she would have done without him this past week.

Roy had been visiting in an attempt to get her father to impart the last of his teaching. Roy had mastered the basics of alchemy long ago, and when her father had refused to teach him flame alchemy, Roy had left to go find a purpose and a life of his own outside of studies. He had ended up joining the military, something her father hadn't approved of. Roy had been here when her father had collapsed.

She was going to lose the house for sure. Riza didn't know if she was going to be left with anything at all. She had an education thankfully, but there really weren't any jobs here that she could take and really make a living off of let alone pay the debt she would owe. She just didn't know what she was going to do.

There was one option that she had, but truthfully, Riza wasn't sure if it really was an option she could afford to take. Zolf Kimbly, a State Alchemist, had offered to take care of all her debt if she would marry him and turn over her father's research to him. On the one hand, it would be an easy way out. But on the other, Riza wasn't sure she could trust him with her father's research, and honestly, she didn't love him. She knew that love wasn't the only reason people got married, but she had always expected that it would be the reason she got married.

It didn't help that she did actually have feelings for someone. Riza would admit that originally it had only been a crush, but as they got older, the feelings had only intensified. Roy Mustang was the only man she really wanted to spend the rest of her life with. After he had left, there had been a few men who had tried their hands at courting her, but none of them had ever sparked the anything even remotely close to the emotions Roy caused in her. Riza also knew that Roy would do whatever he could to help her. He had already offered to help her with anything she needed.

But was it fair to ask him to help her settle such a large debt? He wasn't a state alchemist yet, and his pay really couldn't be all that much. Riza had intended to share her father's research with him, but she didn't want him to think it was because he was helping her. She would have honestly given him it anyway. Riza believed that Roy was the right person to have her father's legacy.

She heard the door to her room open, and her bed dipped with another person's weight. An arm slipped around her shoulders, and Riza knew it was Roy. His simple embrace was all that it took for her to loose her composure. Riza burst into tears. He sat with her, just letting her cry. Roy simply stroked her hair and held her. It had been a long time since anyone held her when she cried. When the tears finally stopped, Riza rest her head on his shoulder. Roy didn't press her to talk.

She knew what was practical. She should marry Kimbly and be content with security. It would take care of all her real problems. Many people had marriages that were simply business arrangements, and they seemed happy enough. But she wanted Roy. She pressed her face into his shoulder. She loved this man. How could she ever give him up? And how could she ever trust anyone else with the secrets she carried? Her father's research had the potential to cause great harm in the wrong hands. Riza wasn't entirely certain just what her father had been afraid when choosing someone to pass it on to, but she knew that fear was justified.

With a sigh, she finally recognized Roy's presence.

"Roy?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "I heard about the deal that Kimbly offered you."

"Oh."

It was her turn to sigh. Roy gave her a gentle smile.

"Choose what you want, Riza. As long as you are happy, I'll be content." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you. And I love you enough to let you go if that's what you need."

Riza didn't know what to say to that. He loved her? That was all she had wanted before. But now things were more complicated. She needed to be sure. She would never regret loving Roy. She wasn't sure she could say the same of marrying Kimbly. Or about giving him her father's research. She slid her hands to Roy's turning so she could face him. It wasn't going to be easy, but it was right.

"Do you love me enough to stay? I love you." She squeezed his hands tightly. "I can't settle for less than that."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. His lips found hers in a soft, sweet kiss. Riza kissed him back. They'd figure things out from here together. It wouldn't be easy, but at least they would have each other.


	17. As Time Goes By

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 24: Spastic.

**As Time Goes By**

There were many things Roy knew about women, and one of them was not to interrupt two women getting ready for a party. His wife and his daughter had taken over the master bedroom, and dresses were strewn everywhere. The annual military gala was tonight, and their entire family would be attending. While both he and his son could wear their dress uniforms, the ladies of the Mustang family required gowns.

The problem wasn't finding a gown, both women had plenty. No, the trouble came in choosing which gown to wear. His opinion hadn't been asked. He had actually just come back here to find his cuff links, but then Roy had gotten caught up in the great dress debate. Rowan had gotten it down to two option, but Riza still had about half a dozen dresses to choose from. His wife stood in front of the mirror while their daughter lazed on the bed. Rowan was twenty-one years old and a State Alchemist. She was probably due for a promotion sometime soon.

Roy really hadn't meant to pass on his alchemy or his title to her or any of his children. However, that plan had not counted on Rowan figuring out most of what was required for flame alchemy by the time she was fifteen. There had been several fights and long talks before she came to an agreement on the subject with himself and her mother. She had attempted the state exams at eighteen, the new minimum age requirement for the position, and passed with flying colors. Rowan took more after her mother than she did after him, except when it came to her coloring. She had his raven hair and dark eyes.

"Red, black, or blue?" Riza asked.

Her daughter grinned. "Black or blue. I think I'll wear that red dress Elysia found last summer."

"Hmm." Riza considered the options before her before reaching for a black dress that was sleeveless and high-necked.

"Great." Rowan bounced up and collected the red dress. Its neckline was a little to low for Roy's likes. "I'll be ready in ten minutes."

Riza offered him a smile and a kiss before kicking him out of the room so she could dress. She didn't need the distractions. Fifteen minutes later, the entire family had assembled in the living room. Chris was the last to arrive, nervously pulling at his new dress uniform. His son was nineteen and newly a State Alchemist. His specialty was manipulating air currents and their movements. He had been dubbed the Wind Alchemist.

"Trisha is coming as my date." He blurted out. His son looked mildly terrified.

Roy just smiled. Chris and Trisha, Edward's daughter, had been flirting around their attraction to one another since they were toddlers. It was good to know that they were finally making some forward progress.

Rowan laughed. Her hair was tucked up in a simple chignon held in place with a pair of garnet decorated combs. The crimson dress she wore clung to her curves and dipped just low enough to hint at things. Roy couldn't help being reminded of Riza.

"At least you have a date."

"What about that lieutenant you work with?" Chris shot back.

"Lt. Almsley is just a friend. We both have a weakness for mysteries. That's all."

Roy frowned when he realized his daughter wasn't wearing shoes. "Aren't you missing something?"

Rowan laughed and wiggled her toes. "You think I'm putting on those torture devices before I have to? Not a chance in hell."

Riza made an impatient noise. "Are we ready?"

A car was waiting for them. The twenty minute drive passed quickly with laughter and teasing. They arrived at the government hall and quickly headed inside. Chris was getting more nervous and spastic as they approached the entrance to the ballroom. Roy could see a petite blond in a dark green dress waiting for them. Trisha Elric took after her mother in looks for the most part. She had Winry's fair skin and pale hair, but the way her hair fell in a natural wave came from her grandmother. She also had her father's eyes. Trisha beamed when she saw Chris and hurried over to him.

It didn't take them long to arrange themselves, and the five of them made their entrance. Chris and Trisha went first followed by Roy, Riza, and Rowan. Roy wasn't going to complain. He had a beautiful woman on either side of him. What more could he ask for? They staked out a table for themselves, and Chris and Trisha immediately took to the dance floor. Rowan just smiled and shook her head before going to get them drinks. She had just returned to the table when a sable haired officer approached the table.

The young lieutenant smiled. "May I have this dance, ma'am?"

Rowan smiled back. "Of course, Daffyd. And it's Rowan when we're off duty."

The two of them also took to the dance floor. Roy sipped his Champaign and watched his children enjoy themselves. They were really quite amazing. Roy hadn't really expected to have either of them in his life. He had never expected to live long enough to have children. But Roy could honestly say that his life wouldn't be as complete without Rowan and Chris in it. The current song began drawing to a close, and Roy rose to his feet, holding his hand out to his wife. Riza slipped into his arms as the music changed to a slow waltz. They still moved together in perfect time. Together they swayed to the sweet strains of music, and Roy leaned in to brush his lips against hers. No matter how much time had passed, this stayed the same.


	18. The Waiting Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 14: 99,999.

**The Waiting Game**

Riza let out a sigh as she stepped into the elevator, pulling her bag behind her. She didn't normally cart this much stuff around with her, but she'd had a presentation today, and she still had all the stuff for it with her. It was a pain, but she didn't have time between classes to run home and drop it off. Riza would survive; it was just an annoyance.

The elevator shuttered, and then she was suddenly plunged into darkness. Riza bit her lip and clutched at her things. There was a rustling sound and suddenly the emergency lights flickered on. She wasn't the only one in the elevator. There was also a man, perhaps a year or two older than she was, who was leaning the opposite all. He reached over to grab the emergency phone. Whatever he heard, it couldn't be good for he hung the phone back up with a sigh.

"Why me?" His eyes flicked over to her, and he offered her a rueful smile. "So, come here often?"

Riza raised an eyebrow at that. He just shrugged.

"The phone is out of order. And since we haven't started moving again, I would say we're stuck." He held out a hand. "Roy Mustang, political science grad student."

"Riza Hawkeye, history and literature."

"Graduate studies?"

She shook her head. "No. I'll graduate next term with my B.A."

There was silence for a few minutes more, then Roy sat down on the floor. "I think we're going to be stuck here for awhile. We might as well be comfortable. Well, at least I won't have to suffer through Bradley's lecture after all."

She cautiously settled on the floor at his side. Roy stretched out his legs and ran a hand through his hair.

"So what's your specialty in your major? Or majors rather. History and literature makes for an interesting combination I would think."

Riza smiled and began to relax. "Literature wise it's folklore and mythology, but I also have a weakness for the classic romances. The happy ones that is. Insanity and death are not good endings to a romance in my opinion. With history, Ishbal and Xing are my interests."

"Why?"

She grinned. "They have better mythologies than we do."

He laughed at that. "I see that. My mother was from Xing."

"So what about you?"

Roy smiled. "Well, I'm mostly interested in Amestrian politics, but I know enough about how things work in foreign countries to understand foreign policies. I have a fondness for political comedy and satire as well."

It didn't take them long to get engrossed in conversation, and the minutes seemed to fly by. After awhile, Riza found herself moving closer to Roy, and she rest her head on his shoulder. His stomach growled, and Roy looked sheepish. Riza just laughed and reached for her messenger bag. She pulled a bag of Hershey's kisses out of it and held it out to him. "Here. It's something at least."

Roy helped himself to a hand full. "Thanks. How long have we been in here anyway?"

"Three hours and twenty-eight minutes," came her prompt reply.

Roy blinked at her. "How did you do that? I mean, couldn't it just have easily been 99,999 minutes."

Riza just shrugged. "I have a great sense of time. Besides, 99,999 minutes would be sixty-nine days and eleven hours."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Well, at least you're better than the professor of mine whose watch sucks. His wife reminds him of the fact constantly. We went on a field trip once, and his wife was there. He was five minutes late, but his wife was already there, and she commented that his watch sucks. He disagreed, and she pointed out that according to the clocks on the wall run by the military his watch sucked in five time zones."

She giggled. Roy grinned.

"If you think that's bad, you should meet some of my really bad professors."

They continued to chat about their various professors and somehow got on the topic of the worst professors they'd ever had. Roy was something of a ham as he acted out a number of scenes. Riza had to admit he was an entertaining companion. She had trouble stifling her laughter when he went as far to put on a cheesy Cretean accent and kiss her hand as he impersonated one of his more atrocious professors.

The lights flickered again then came back on at full strength, and the elevator began to move again. They reached the ground floor, and Roy got to his feet before turning towards her. He helped her off the floor.

"Would you like to go get something to eat?"

"I'd love to," Riza smiled.

Perhaps it hadn't been a wasted few hours.


	19. You and I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme 20: Between Heaven and Earth.

**You and I**

The full moon shone bright outside the window, illuminating the couple in bed. Roy loved how it made her skin glow. It made Riza look like something beyond this world. They had a rare weekend together, and it had not been wasted. It was late now, but neither of them could sleep. Instead, they lay together in one another's arms, content to be in the other's presence."

Nights like this were far too rare, and Roy always savored them. He gently traced the planes of her face with a finger. Riza smiled and kissed his fingertip. Riza lay in the curve of his arm, her head resting on his chest. His fingers continued to trace patterns on her skin, trailing down to her shoulder and scars there. He tenderly kissed her shoulder, feeling remorseful.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could have protected you from this."

Riza curled into him, fitting her body snuggly against his, and pressed a kiss to his neck. "I think it was inevitable once I was tattooed with the array. You did what I asked you to. What I needed you to do."

He held her closer. Roy had inadvertently reminded himself of why they didn't often have nights like this. It was too dangerous with his goals. But these nights were important. Especially since there was a strong possibility that they might never have anything more together than a handful of nights spent in each other's arms.

"We probably won't live through this, you know." His fingers slid into her hair. "We have no future if we succeed."

"What future do we have if we don't?"

"You deserve more of one." He didn't argue with her though. It wouldn't do any good. There was probably nothing between earth and heaven that could make Riza leave him willingly. Truthfully, Roy didn't want her to. He was too selfish to let her go.

"I love you. Just in case I don't have a chance to actually say it ever again. I want you to know. I love you." His voice was soft. "No matter what happens, I'll love you."

Riza caught his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes.

"You love me. That has always been enough for me." She covered his hand with her own. "This is all I ever need. This is all I've ever needed."

She kissed him then, slow and sweet. Roy let himself fall into her embrace. This was the closest he would ever be to paradise, and it was enough for him.


	20. Wonder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 20: Internal Monologue.

**Wonder**

The moonlight illuminated the little face in front him quite well. Riza was asleep in the hospital bed, but Roy found himself completely captivated by the little creature in his arms. Rowan Mea Mustang was seven pounds, nine ounces, and twenty inches long. She was the product of twenty-six hours of labor, and she was absolutely perfect. She was so tiny. Little fingers and little toes. An adorable little nose. Dark fuzz covering her head. She had clearly taken after him when it came to her dark hair and eyes, but he could see so much of her mother in her face. And she was his daughter. His and Riza's. They had created this amazing little creature.

His daughter. His beautiful daughter. This little girl had so captured his heart without lifting a finger. Now he knew what Maes had felt. He wanted everyone to know how wonderful and amazing his little girl was. And at the same time, Roy wasn't sure he ever wanted to let her out of his arms. That might be problematic tomorrow when they started having visitors. He'd called both Gracia and Havoc to let them know they had gone to the hospital and then again later once Rowan had actually been born. Of course, by then it was two in the morning. They were going to get flooded with visitors once visiting hours started.

He hummed softly to her, his internal monologue not distracting him from the task of soothing his child. Rowan wasn't quite asleep, and he didn't want her to fuss and wake Riza. His poor wife was pretty exhausted. Roy wasn't sure his hand was going to be the same after having her squeeze it throughout labor, but it was probably less painful than what she had gone through. Her water had broken unexpectedly; they were still a week away from her due date. Roy had been amazed that he had managed to get them both to the hospital without any major mishaps. He had not exactly been coherent when he realized what was going on.

Rowan made a soft little sigh and closed her eyes. Roy wasn't sure what that meant, but she didn't seem that upset. It had all been worth it. Everything he had been through from Ishbal to overthrowing the government had been worth it to have this little child in his life. He had a real, tangible future now.

"Roy?" Riza's sleepy voice pulled him away from his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

He tore his eyes away from his daughter's face. His wife was gazing at him with something that could be termed exasperated affection. Riza looked beautiful in the moonlight. He made his way over to the bed, sitting down near her. Riza reached a hand out to brush Rowan's downy hair with a tender expression on her face. Roy couldn't help himself. He leaned in and kissed her. He had never dreamed this future for him, but he knew Riza was the only one he'd want to share it with. They had quite a future ahead of them.


	21. The Final Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU and is set in the future. Mention of character deaths. Theme 22: Fine Lines.

**The Final Test**

Elysia nervously fussed with her earrings. She was worried about today. There was a lot riding on the next hour or so. Her boyfriend of the past five years had asked her to marry him, and Elysia had said yes. But there was still one subject they hadn't talked about. Finances, children, housework, jobs, those all had been discussed. He had met her family, all of it including her honorary uncles and aunts. Her godparents were the only thing he didn't know about, and in the end they might end up being a deal breaker.

"Elysia, are you ready?"

She glanced away from the mirror in the entryway. "Yes."

Michael gave her a warm smile. "Don't look so nervous. It will be fine.

They had met by coincidence. Now, nearly six years later, they were getting married. And Elysia really loved this man. She just hoped the people she considered almost as dear to her as her parents wouldn't chase him away. They weren't that popular anymore.

"We'll need to stop at a florist first. I have to pick up something for the trip."

He looked a little confused at that, but Elysia didn't explain. Not yet. It didn't take her long at the florist's. Elysia always got the same thing for them: lilies of the valley, forget-me-knots, and red camellias. The flowers stood for sweetness, faithful love and memories, and you are the flame in my heart. They seemed appropriate for her godparents. Once that was done she gave directions to Michael. It was rather a long drive, but it wasn't too far outside of Central. He parked the car in the cemetery parking lot, and Elysia silently led the way.

It was a very secluded grave. They had chosen it deliberately that way. It provided a protection of sorts, and those two deserved that. It was a shared grave. Everyone had considered that to be the only proper way to bury them. She knew it would have been better to bury them next to her father, but they had been refused that right. This was the best that they could do. And truthfully, Elysia knew that graves were more for the living than the dead.

Michael was silent behind her. She doubted he knew where they were. The gravestone wasn't exactly obvious about it. There was only an inscription of a quote, no names. Another way of protecting this place. Elysia struggled to find the right words to explain. In the end though, it was her fiancée who spoke first.

"Elysia?"

She turned towards him with as sad smile. "You know about my father, of course. He's become such a hero. He was one, but…"

Her voice trailed off. She took another deep breath.

"He wasn't the only hero, but he's the one who everyone remembers and praises. Not everyone has had the same fortune. They certainly didn't." She gestured at the grave. "Uncle Roy and Aunt Riza. Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang. They were my godparents. Uncle Roy was Daddy's best friend. We keep the fact that they're buried here quiet. They've had enough trouble without people desecrating their grave. It isn't fair that no one remembers what they accomplished for this country. All people remember is what they were murdered for. And the worst part is they knew it would happen. They went into it with open eyes when there were half a dozen other things they could have done and survived. They loved each other so much. Mama always says the best thing about their sentence was that they were kept together. I don't know if they knew how to survive without one another."

Elysia realized that she was crying. But she couldn't stop the tears anymore than she could stop the words spilling from her mouth.

"I know what you've been told about them. Some of it is true, but most of it isn't. There is so much more to their story. I love my family, and they are a major part of it. If you can't accept that, then this relationship isn't going to work out. As much as I love you, I don't think I can go through with this if you don't. I need to be able to tell my children the whole story of what happened."

Michael pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. He held her close and rubbed his hands comforting circles on her back. She hadn't meant to break down like this. Normally, she didn't have this sort of trouble when talking about her godparents. He kissed the top of her head.

"Sweetheart, if they're that important to you, then I have no problem with them." He stroked her hair. "It's true that I really don't know any more about them than we were taught in school, but I would be a fool if I hadn't realized that nearly everyone who constitutes your family has some connection to Mustang and Hawkeye. If I had a problem with them, I wouldn't be here now."

Elysia pulled away, just enough so she could see his eyes. Michael brought a hand up to wipe away her tears. He moved so they were sitting in front of the grave with Elysia tucked in his lap.

"Why don't you tell me the whole story, Elysia? I think I'd like to know it."

Elysia closed her eyes with a smile, resting her head against his shoulder. Everything was going to just fine between them.

"The question is which beginning do you want? We can start with the beginning of it all or we can start when Roy Mustang first met Riza Hawkeye."


	22. Too Darn Hot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 11: Boiling Tar.

**Too Darn Hot**

Riza let out a frustrated sigh and tried to go back to sleep. She had been enjoying her nap. Being pregnant during a heat wave was not fun. She had hit her second trimester last month, and things were beginning to get uncomfortable. The morning sickness had begun to fade some what, but now her ankles were beginning to swell. And it the weather wasn't helping at all.

Central typically had warm summers, but this was ridiculous. There hadn't been a single day in the past week that had been close to comfortable. The tar was boiling off the road in some places. It was sweltering out, and she hadn't been able to face even the thought of going into the office today. There hadn't been any complaint about her not showing up either given her current condition. Riza was vastly relieved not to have to put on the navy blue wool uniform. The light cotton sundress itself seemed like too much in the way of clothes.

Realizing that she wasn't going to get back to sleep anytime soon, Riza rolled out of bed and decided to try a cold bath in order to cool down. Inside the house was better than outside, but she was still far too hot. While she ran the bath, she fixed herself a tall glass of lemonade. Anything cold helped right now. The claw foot tub quickly filled, and Riza sighed in relief as she slipped into the cold water. This was much better.

She lounged in the tub for about a half hour before the water started warming up too much to do her any good. Riza toweled herself off and found a new sundress to wear, one that wasn't soaked in sweat. She peeked out the window to find that the sun had moved enough that the front porch was covered in shade. There even appeared to be a breeze. The cool water had helped somewhat, and soon Riza was lounged in the shade of the porch with a pint of ice cream and a book. It wasn't much better than inside, but Riza would take whatever she could get.

It was rather peaceful though. Gracia had offered to take Rowan to the swimming pool with Elysia, so Riza didn't have to worry about having the two year old underfoot. She was definitely ready for this baby to be born. Rowan had been quite good about the concept of having a sibling so far, but even on her best behavior, the toddler was a handful when Riza wasn't feeling her best. She polished off the last of the ice cream and dozed in the shade. While the color of the sky began to change, there wasn't much of a change in temperature. It was only when a shadow loomed over her that Riza looked up.

"Ice cream for dinner?"

Riza just licked her spoon. Roy kissed her nose.

"Gracia called. Rowan's going to sleep over at her place tonight. And I picked up more ice cream."

"Sweet cream and orange?"

"The last carton in the store. I almost had to fight a woman for it."

Riza grinned as he helped her to her feet and they headed inside. There were advantages to having the fuehrer as a husband. Hopefully, Amestris' ice cream supply would hold out while her pregnancy lasted. At least it was only four more months.


	23. One Four Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 19: Numerical.

**One Four Three**

With a deep breath, Roy entered his classroom. There was still five minutes before the class was supposed to start, but he wanted to be ready when it did. It wasn't his first time teaching a class, but Roy hadn't taught the beginning math classes in a few years. At thirty, he was already a tenured professor in the math department here at Amestris University and was renowned around the world for being math genius. It really wasn't impressive as it sounded, but Roy enjoyed his life. He had always been passionate about numbers, and currently, his life revolved around them.

A blond near the front of the class caught his eye. Roy almost frowned. It couldn't be her, could it? She had longer hair than before, but her eyes were the same mahogany color. It had to be Riza. He had never seen anyone else with that exact color of eyes besides Riza Hawkeye. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to find out if it really was her before the class began. Roy ran through the first class on autopilot, his attention more on the girl than anything else. Of course, it was just handing out and going over the syllabus, so it wasn't like it was anything onerous. It seemed to take forever though.

Finally, the class ended, and he was free to find out about this young woman. Well, once he dealt with all of the students who wanted to speak with him. She waited though. Once almost everyone else had left, the woman made her way up to his desk.

"Professor Mustang, do you remember me?"

How could he not? Riza Hawkeye had been the most important woman in his life since he was nine. Her father had been his teacher throughout much of his youth. Nearly ever woman he had dated had been compared to her and found lacking despite the fact that they had never truly been together in any sense.

"Riza, it's good to see you. I thought you were finally calling me Roy."

She smiled at him. "That wouldn't be appropriate as you're my professor."

He made a face. "So what are you doing in my class?"

"I need a math class to graduate, and this was the easiest one I could find this term, and since it had to be this term, there wasn't much of choice. I didn't realize you were teaching it though."

Roy ran a hand through his hair. "There was a last minute emergency. I got tapped to fill in since I'm the youngest in the department and therefore the low man on the totem pole. So you're graduating soon. What are you majoring in?"

"Literature and history. I should graduate at the end of this term." Riza smiled. "I've been working at the historical society for the past year or so."

They continued to chat as Roy gathered up his things and started back towards his office. It was good to see Riza again. The last time he had seen her, he had been leaving for university. She was twelve at the time, and he was fifteen. He hadn't kept in touch with her like he had planned to, and truthfully, he had missed her. It hadn't exactly been fun being the boy genius in university. Thankfully, Roy had made some good friends there, and things had worked out by the time he graduated, but he had missed Riza.

Her presence in his class quickly became the most interesting thing about the class. The material was really too basic to hold interest for long. However, Riza being there made it more important, and she was struggling with the material some. Roy often found himself spending his free time in a coffee shop with Riza going over things she was struggling with. Often working with her gave him ideas of how to deal with issues when they came up in class as well. He peered over the rim of his coffee cup to look at Riza's paper.

"Do you understand now?"

She bit her lip. "I think so. Give me another one."

They worked their way through a few more problems until Riza was satisfied that she really understood the concept. Then the two of them would chat for a while before going their separate ways. It was the way most of their meetings outside of class went, and Roy had discovered a minor problem. He was seriously interested in Riza Hawkeye. The problem was she was his student currently, and it wouldn't be ethical to ask her on a date. Furthermore, Roy didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to romantic relationships. He really didn't want to ruin his friendship with Riza because he screwed up while they were dating. Roy figured he had until the end of the term to get everything sorted out in his head.

He liked math. It wasn't nearly as messy as life. Math was not helping him much here unfortunately. He couldn't just construct a formula or an equation to tell him how things were going to turn out. But he kept noticing things about Riza. She was absolutely adorable when she would crew on the end of her pen when puzzling over something. Her eyes were an interesting mix of burgundy and mahogany. She always seemed to know when he needed a word of encouragement or was having a bad day. He simply enjoyed being around her.

Now he just had to figure out what exactly he was going to do about that. The term was nearly over, and he would be free to ask her out soon. It was while he was making his way through grading the tests that the idea popped into his head. They had been talking a little about codes and ciphers in the last class, and Riza had shown a real knack for decoding messages. So when he returned her final to the math department office for her to pick up. Roy included a not that read:

189261,

9 23119 815169147 251521 231521124 715 152120 2015 491414518 239208 135. 9 1851121225 514101525 25152118 315131611425 1144 231521124 129115 2015 1955 251521 171914.

1215225,

181525

It was a simple numerical replacement cipher, and Roy knew she wouldn't have any trouble with it. So he wasn't all that surprised when he came back to his office from end of the term meetings to find Riza perched on his desk. She smiled at him and leaned close to kiss his cheek.

"So, what did you have in mind for dinner? My only requirement is that the place has good desserts."

Roy laughed and helped her off the desk. There were some things that were better than numbers.

* * *

The note read:

Riza,

I was hoping you would go out to dinner with me. I really enjoy your company and would like to see you again.

Love,

Roy


	24. Summer Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly AU and set in the future. Theme 12: Dragonflies and Fireflies.

**Summer Nights**

Roy approached the house with a warm smile. It was good to be home. The front door was flung open, and he had to drop his briefcase to catch the flying missile that was his daughter. Rowan practically leapt into his arms.

"Daddy! You're home!"

Roy scooped up his daughter, settling her on his hip. "And how was your day, sweetheart?"

Rowan laughed. "Mama and I made cookies while Chris was napping, and I drew you a picture."

She looked very much like her mother. Rowan might have his dark hair and eyes, but she was really her mother's child. And for all that she was a fairly serious child, Rowan had a mischievous streak and the curiosity of a cat.

His wife appeared in the doorway with a smile on her way. The little blond boy perched on Riza's hip waved happily at him. Chris was an incredibly sunny child. Roy had no idea where that had come from, but he really didn't care either. He had gotten his mother's golden locks to go with that personality though his eyes were a much darker brown than Riza's.

"Dada!"

Chris reached out for him, and he and Riza exchanged children.

He hadn't imagined Rowan or Chris in his future. He'd hadn't really expected to live this long. But now he really couldn't imagine a life without them. These two had been a definite blessing to him, and Roy knew his wife felt the same way. After Chris had been born, she had decided to only work part time until he started school. It had made sense at the time given she had both a newborn and a two year old on her hands. Now, though, Rowan would start school this fall. It was hard to believe, but she had turned five this winter. It would be that long before it was Chris' turn.

The family made their way inside, and Roy put Chris down, so he could wash his hands and help Riza finish up with dinner. It didn't take that long to get the food on the table, and then another family dinner started. They were always interesting, especially with a toddler who would eat anything and a five year old who was very picky and precise about her food. When diner was eaten and the dishes were done, the family prepared for their evening walk.

It was a long standing tradition started when Rowan an infant. It had proved almost impossible to get her to sleep without taking her out for a walk first. There had been something about the rhythm of walking that had put the baby to sleep. Now, it was simple a pleasant tradition for them all. Riza carried Chris while Rowan rode on Roy's shoulders. It was just a little past sunset now, and the sky was all shades of purple. The four of them made their way down the street, heading for a local park.

The reason for going there was soon apparent. The park was full of fireflies. In the day time there would have been butterflies and dragonflies, but at night was when the real show happened. It didn't take long for them to find a spot in the grass to settle and watch the dancing lights. Chris crowed in delight while Rowan just watched, eyes wide in awe. Roy reached over an entwined his fingers with Riza's.

They stayed there, sitting together and watching the fireflies, as the sky darkened and the moon began to rise. Slowly the masses of fireflies began to thin. Chris was fast asleep in Riza's lap. Rowan, their little night owl, perched in his own lap still fascinated by the fireflies. Roy sighed. They should be heading home soon. The children needed to be put to bed, and unfortunately, he had work tomorrow. Gathering Rowan up in his arms, he rose to his feet. Riza followed suit, and they made their way home.

Riza went to change Chris into his pajamas and put him in his crib while Roy helped Rowan get ready for bed and tucked her in.

"Love you, Daddy."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Rowan. Sweet dreams."

No, this wasn't the future he had imagined all those years ago, but it was better than anything his mind could have produced.


	25. Layover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 6: Parachutes.

**Layover**

Roy looked around for an empty seat in the café with a sigh. He really needed to get something decent to eat and have a chance to just sit down and eat it. However, finding a seat was proving difficult. Finally, he spotted a table with two chairs and only one occupant. A blond woman in a business suit sat there, seemingly engrossed in her book. It was worth a try. He made his way over to her table.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Can I sit here?"

She looked up from her book. "Sure."

"Roy Mustang." He offered a hand.

"Riza Hawkeye." Her handshake was firm.

She returned to her book, and Roy applied himself to his food. It was only when he was down to his dessert that his attention returned to his seating companion.

"Good book?"

Riza laughed. "Dreadful actually. But it's my firm's latest best seller, so I can't avoid it. It isn't one of the ones I had anything to do with which explains how it got published actually."

"So you work for a publishing company then?"

She nodded and set aside the book. "Yes, in the young adult literature section. I'm actually on my way to a conference on the subject."

Riza didn't ask about his job, but then given his pilot's uniform, it was rather obvious. Instead the two of them chatted about books for awhile. It was one of the nicest conversations he'd had in awhile, especially with a pretty lady. So many of the women he ran into either felt they needed to hide their intelligence or didn't have any. Roy was a little surprised to hear about how much she traveled. It was a wonder that they hadn't run into each other before with a schedule like hers.

Roy was reluctant to leave when the time came, but she had a plane to catch and he had one to fly. Hopefully, he'd bump into her again sometime. It sounded like she traveled almost as much as he did. They had exchanged business cards before taking their leave of one another.

It was two weeks before he saw Riza again. He'd been heading for the café to get a coffee before heading down to his gate when he caught sight of a familiar blond head. Once he had his coffee, Roy changed his route a little.

"What flight are you waiting for?"

Riza looked up from yet another book. "The redeye to Central. You?"

"The delayed flight to East City. The one that was supposed to go out last night." Roy slid into the seat beside her. "I've got another hour and half before we actually leave."

He started looking for her when got into an airport. About a quarter of the time, they were actually at the same one. It was an odd relationship, but one that Roy was really enjoying. He didn't think he had spent this much time with a woman that he didn't think of as a sister since he was a teenager. Riza was such an interesting puzzle, and she didn't fall at his feet due to his looks and charm like most women. She was more likely to try and poke holes in his ego. It didn't feel like he had to put on an act for her. He could just be Roy, and that was enough for her.

Roy even carried a picture of the two of them now. It was a great picture. He was in uniform, and she was in her usual suit. Riza was leaning against his shoulder with his cover perched on her head. His friend Maes had taken in on one of the rare occasions that he and Maes were working the same flight and had run into Riza at the airport. It was only after the picture was taken that Roy realized he and Riza had known each other for about six months.

He was at the café a few weeks later when he caught sight of her heading down the concourse, looking extremely frazzled and exhausted. As soon as she was close enough for him not to yell, Roy called out to her.

"Riza? Are you all right?" He frowned a little. "Let me get you something and we can go sit down somewhere. What would you like?"

She smiled wryly. "Mocha? Please."

It took him a couple minutes to get their drinks and find them a couch that was out of the way. Riza took her drink and set on the end table beside the couch before she buried her face in his shoulder. "Thank you."

Roy wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Bad day?"

"Try week. It's been a nightmare. Nothing has gone right what so ever. The only reason I'm here at all is that they managed to get me on the standby list for the flight in three hours."

"Not fun."

"No. I'm exhausted and surrounded by idiots." She sighed. "Present company excepted."

"You said you had three hours before the flight boards?"

Riza nodded. Roy smiled.

"Take a nap. You look completely exhausted, and I bet sleep would make you feel better. I just got in, and I'm not due to head out until this evening. I'll wake you for your flight. I promise."

It was a measure of how tired she was that she didn't argue with him about it. She simple kicked off her heels and tucked her feet up under herself as she leaned against his shoulder. Riza was asleep within five minutes. Roy watched her sleep and realized that this woman was far more to him than he had imagined possible. For all that they had never seen each other outside of the airport, Riza knew him better than just about anyone. Maybe he should see if she was interested in expanding their relationship beyond the reoccurring airport encounters. It wasn't like they would be parachuting into the unknown.

The thought was something he kept in mind when he work her twenty minutes before her plane was scheduled to start boarding. Riza seemed much better for her nap. He waved her off and promised himself that next time he would ask her out to a real dinner.

It took a week and a half for him to run into her again. But late in the afternoon just after he'd finished the paperwork the day's flight, Roy caught sight of her blond hair in the café and made his way over to the couch she was lounging on.

Riza looked up from her book, grinned, and scooted over to make room for him beside her. "Hey."

"We have to stop meeting like this," he teased.

They chatted awhile before he asked, "Are you coming or going?"

Riza laughed. "A little of both. I got in this morning, but I'm off again on a midnight flight. It doesn't make much sense to go any place at this point."

Roy ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I don't have a flight until tomorrow morning, and I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner."

Something lit up in her pretty mahogany eyes, and Riza smile increased wattage. "That sounds lovely."

He was probably grinning foolishly now, but Roy didn't care. To his surprise, Riza leaned in and kissed his cheek before asking.

"So, what sort of food did you have in mind?"

Roy laughed, sensing another one of their debates coming on. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead. Shall we argue over on the way to the car?"


	26. Close Quarters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU and set during World War Two. Theme 17: Underground.

**Close Quarters**

Roy cursed and tried to disentangle himself quickly. This was not going as planned at all. When he left on this mission, he had no intention of getting shot down over Germany. At least he had survived the crash with relative minor injuries. Nothing was broken thankfully, and the head wound was simply superficial. Now all he had to do was avoid detection and capture by the Germans, and figure out a way to get back to Britain. It sounded simple enough, but in execution it would be harder. For one thing, Roy didn't exactly blend in. His mother was Chinese and he looked more like her than his father for the most part. With his dark hair and dark eyes, he didn't exactly fit the ideal standard for a German.

He thought he had seen a town nearby, and that at least would give him someplace to hide. He would just have to be careful not to be seen. Roy managed to get himself away from the wreckage of his plane and started in the direction he thought the town was in. There was very little moonlight to see by, and it was slow going as he tried not to make much noise and avoid any further injury. He knew it was fairly late at night, so at least he had a few hours more of darkness. Roy kept an ear out for any noises that might indicate he was being followed or that someone else was around. He had made it to the edge of the town when movement caught his eye.

A hand closed around his wrist.

"In here. Quickly!" The voice was soft, forceful, and female.

Roy found himself yanked inside a building, a house he thought. The hand on his wrist let go, and he heard movement in the darkness before a flame sprang to life. A blond woman with mahogany eyes held a small lamp. She looked German, but her accent when she spoke had clearly been Welsh. Besides, what choice did he have but to trust her? She led the way to the upstairs of the house without speaking. The woman walked straight into a library and headed for a bookshelf up against the wall, she pulled it aside to reveal a little closet like space.

"You'll be safe here as long as you keep quiet. They're going to check the houses soon. I'll be back with food when it's safe."

He lost no time in climbing inside. His questions would wait. Neither of them would be safe if he was found. There wasn't a lot of space inside, and he couldn't see anything once she shut the door. With a sigh, Roy seated himself and closed his eyes. He might as well get some rest while he could. He didn't know how much later it was when the doorway creaked open, and a sliver of light illuminated the space.

"Sir? Are you awake?"

He blinked as he made out the woman's form. He offered her a half smile.

"Yeah. I'm Roy Mustang by the way."

"Riza Hawkeye. I brought you something to eat. It's not much though. I also wanted to check your injuries."

"It's fine." He was more than willing to take whatever food she had scrounged.

Riza opened the door wider to let more light in and sat down on the floor across from him. She handed him an apple and some bread then busied herself with checking him over for injuries. Roy devoured the offered food then tried to make conversation while she tended to his various cuts. Most of them weren't that bad, but a few were very deep.

"You're not from here, are you?"

She shook her head. "I was born in Britain. My mother was Welsh. When she died, my father moved us here. He died just after the war started, and I didn't have time or the ability to escape. My mother's father is still in Wales though, and I hope to join him there once this is all over."

Riza finished her ministrations with a practiced ease. She reached behind herself and pulled out a blanket when a noise made her freeze. Motioning for him to stay still, she crept out of sight, probably to peer out a window. Moments later she had reappeared, still clutching the blanket, and looking very concerned.

"Back inside. Quickly."

To Roy's surprise, Riza followed him inside and shut the door behind them, leaving the two of them in darkness. Roy leaned against the back of the closet, using it to help him sit down. He groped in the dark for Riza's hand so he could pull her down. If they were going to be stuck here for awhile, they might as well be comfortable. They were snuggled together in the small closet with little wriggle room. Riza rest her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"What's going on?" His voice was barely a whisper.

"Zolf Kimbly is outside. He's an SS officer who has shown an interest in me that I don't return. I prefer not to be at home when he comes calling. He typically hangs around for an hour or so before giving up, and he has once before come into the house looking for me."

"Ah."

That was perfectly understandable, and Riza probably didn't have much other recourse. Not being their when the man was looking for her was probably the safest way for her to refuse him. Deciding to distract her from her current problems, Roy started inquired about her. He soon found that Riza was the daughter of a scientist who had very little interest in science herself. Her mother had died when she was fairly young, and her father had been unable to bear living in his wife's homeland any longer, so they had moved to Germany. Riza herself was very well educated especially when it came to history and literature. She had been hoping to go to university, but then the war had started, and she had gotten involved with the resistance.

Riza was really a fascinating woman. Roy didn't know many who had her courage and aplomb in dealing with a very bad situation. She was pretty much on her own here and had only her wits to protect her really. And yet she was determined to do more than simply survive. Earlier in their conversation, she had admitted that he was the fifth person she had rescued and help escape back to safety. Riza let out a soft little yawn.

"Tired?"

"There hasn't been much of a chance to get rest lately."

He gathered her up in his arms, wrapping the blanket around them both. "Just close your eyes and get some rest. We've got at least another thirty minutes before the coast is clear, and a nap might help."

It didn't take long for her to drop off, and Roy was content to listen to the even sound of her breathing. He was a little startled about how strong his reaction to this woman was. Back home he was known as something of a flirt, but he had never really been emotionally invested in any of that. Riza was different. There was just something about her that drew him like a moth to a flame. He had only known her a few hours, and yet he found himself telling her things that only his closest friends knew. Roy didn't know if it was their current situation or something else entirely, but he knew that Riza was something special to him.

About an hour later, he woke her reluctantly. As much as he wanted her to get some rest, Roy didn't know if she had other responsibilities that she needed to tend to. Riza untangled herself from him and rose to her feet.

"I'll be back in a little bit with some more food. You can leave the door ajar as long as you shut it immediately if you hear steps on the stairs."

Roy nodded. Riza turned to go, and he called after her.

"Riza? Thank you."

She paused and offered him a smile before disappearing. Roy sat back and tried to get some rest himself. He didn't know how long this respite would last. Riza clearly had a plan for getting him out of here and back to Allies controlled territory even if she hadn't shared the details of it with him yet. Roy trusted that she knew what she was doing. She wouldn't still be alive if she didn't. He pulled the door mostly shut and closed his eyes to take a nap.

Roy woke to find Riza leaning over her, her hand rest on his shoulder.

"I brought you dinner, and it should be safe enough for you to sleep in a real bed tonight." She frowned slightly. "It will be another day before I can get you out of here I'm afraid."

"Thank you. I appreciate everything your doing for me."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

Once he had eaten, Riza led him to a little room next door that had a small bed that had been neatly made up.

"There's a bathroom just around the corner. If you need anything, I'm just across the hall. Good night."

"Good night, Riza."

Roy pulled off his boots and climbed into bed. Sleep did not find him easily, and so when the whimpers and cries from Riza's room started, he was already awake. He only hesitated a few minutes before climbing out of bed and going to check on Riza. He found her clearly in the grip of a nightmare, and Roy did the only thing he could think of. He drew her into his arms, making soothing noises and trying to wake her up. When she finally did wake up, Riza clung to him. Roy held her close and let her cry herself out. He had the feeling that she hadn't had anyone to lean on in a long time.

They both ended up falling back asleep. When Roy woke the next morning, he found himself wrapped around Riza. She didn't seem to mind though as she was using him as her pillow. It was oddly comfortable, and Roy found himself tempted to simply go back to sleep. However, Riza's stirring kept that from happening. Roy kept his eyes closed and pretended to still be asleep as she rose from the bed. He was a little surprised when she tucked the blankets back around him and kissed his forehead, but he managed to keep from giving himself away.

Once she was gone, Roy got up and went to use the bathroom. He wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do or where he was supposed to go right now, so he headed back to the library and decided to investigate the shelves. It was several hours before he saw Riza again, and once more she had brought him food.

She offered him a soft smile. "We'll be leaving tonight. I'm taking you to some people who should be able to get you back to England."

"Thank you really doesn't cover it, Riza. Is there anything I can do for you? Even just let someone in England know you're all right?"

"If you could let my grandfather know that I'm all right, and that I'll be coming to England as soon as I can I would appreciated. He's Brigadier General Leroy Grumman."

Roy started to laugh. He couldn't help himself. He really should have known. At Riza's odd look, he tried to explain.

"General Grumman's my superior officer. He's been trying to get me to agree to marry his granddaughter for the past few years. And it figures that when I get shot down I would actually meet her."

Riza started to laugh as well. "That sounds like him. You must have impressed him that he's been offering my hand in marriage."

"Well, I'm afraid I couldn't possibly accept unless the lady in question was happy with the arrangement as well."

She flashed him a grateful smile. "Be careful, I might just take you up on that when this over if I need help getting into England."

"I live to serve."

It was dark when Riza led him out of the house. She kept his hand tightly in her own as the silently made their way through streets. After the first few minutes, Roy gave up trying to track the path they were taking. It was just too confusing. It was clear that she was leading him out of the village, but he couldn't tell if they were going north, south, or what. But Riza seemed to know the way, and he trusted her. It truthfully didn't take all that long. It just felt long since both of them were extremely tense. If they got caught now, Roy doubted either of them would escape the consequences. If that happened, he planned to pretend he had taken Riza hostage. There was no way he was taking her down with him if the worst happened.

However, the two of them managed to get to the meeting point without incident. Roy could make out two other figures in the dark.

"This him?" A young male voice asked.

"Yes." Riza's voice was just as soft. She still hadn't let go of him yet. She turned to him. "Ed and Al will get you out of here and on your way back to England. I…goodbye, Roy."

He pulled his pocket watch out of his pocket and pressed it into her hands. It had been a gift when had been commissioned as an officer, and it had both his name and his posting engraved on it.

"I promise I'll find you when this is over. If you don't show up in England, I'm coming over here and combing the German countryside for you."

Roy kissed her then. Riza let out a small sound of surprise before melting into him and kissing him back.

"Goodbye, sweetheart." The endearment slipped out unconsciously. He kissed her again quickly. "I'll see you again. I promise."


	27. Chained to You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 3: Ringing.

**Chained to You**

Sunlight streamed into Riza's face, and she groaned and snuggled deeper into the bed. Her head was pounding, and her ears were ringing. Clearly she had celebrated a little too much last night. Yes, they were in Vegas after winning a Supreme Court case, but that really was no excuse. At least she didn't have to do anything today. She could spend the whole day recuperating from her excess. Closing her eyes, Riza moved closer to the warmth at her side then blinked. She wasn't in bed alone. Eyes wide with that realization she soon made another. This was not her hotel room.

Riza raised a hand to cover her mouth and blinked again, noticing for the first time the ring on her left hand. It was a very nice wedding band, tastefully done in white gold. It was simple and elegant, exactly what she would pick for herself. She just couldn't remember when had gotten it. With growing trepidation, Riza carefully rolled over to see who the other person occupying the bed was. She recognized him immediately. Roy Mustang was her boss, her law professor father's protégé, and her friend since childhood. He was still soundly asleep thankfully. Riza closed her eyes, hoping this was just a dream.

She opened them again to find she was still in bed with Roy, both of them near naked. There was still a thin band of gold wrapped around her left ring finger. Riza checked. Roy had a matching ring. She was still hung over. This was not looking good. Before she could come up with a reasonable plan for how to deal with this, Roy rolled over, trapping her under his arm. He nuzzled her neck, clearly not awake yet. Riza froze, uncertain what to do. This was going to be awkward.

It wasn't that she didn't care for Roy. He had been one of her closest friends for years. But they both had worked hard to keep thing simply a friendship. Riza was quite sure that she was in love with the man, but that was a complication neither of them needed right now. In the past few years Roy had walked away from a prestigious law firm due to ethical concerns, founded his own law firm, and proceeded to put it on the map by taking on several very prominent cases and winning them, the latest in front of the Supreme Court. However, there were still people who would very much like to see him fail, and an office romance could prove the opportunity they needed.

Not that there would have been anything sordid or inappropriate about it. Just about everyone knew that it was Riza who really ran the office. Roy and Maes might deal with the actual court cases, but they deferred to her when it came to just about anything administrative. But it was so easy to twist perfectly innocent things into scandal these days, but their law firm just wasn't established enough to survive a major scandal right now. It had meant that any relationship between Riza and Roy had to be put on hold, but they knew that going into this. After what they had seen at Amestris Law, both of them had agreed that a law firm that wasn't going to take advantage of its clients, only serve the wealthy, and cheat was badly needed. They had seen Amestris Law destroy far too many lives not to.

The change in Roy's breathing drew her back to the present, and Riza realized that he was waking up. His arm around her tightened, and he let out a groan.

"Ugh."

Riza opened her own eyes to find them face to face. Roy blinked blearily at her. "Hawkeye? Why are you in my bed?"

"What do you remember about last night?"

He frowned; Riza didn't know if it was in thought or because his headache matched her own.

"We were out celebrating with Maes and Gracia. I can't remember anything after we started exploring the casinos."

That matched her memories. Riza didn't think he had noticed their new wedding rings. It would probably be better to deal with that once they both had some coffee. Riza bit her lip. And a hot shower.

She frowned. "Showers and coffee first. Then we can try to figure this out."

"You can have the shower first. I'll start coffee." He offered her a grin. "That way I won't drown in the shower because I fell asleep."

Riza accepted the offer, hoping that some time alone with her thoughts would help her make sense of things. The hot water did make her feel quite a bit more human even though her head still hurt. Perhaps they could make this work. After all, this last case should establish their law firm as a major player, and it was well known that she had been working there from the beginning. If there had ever been any questions about her being hired because for her looks or because she was sleeping with one of the founding partners, they should be proved incorrect by now. Of course, that was assuming Roy wanted to stay married to her.

She toweled dry and threw on the sweats and t-shirt Roy had offered her to wear. Exiting the bathroom, she found a cup of coffee and two aspirin waiting for her as well as Roy staring blanking at a sheet of paper in his hands. Riza had a feeling she knew what it was.

"The marriage certificate?"

He nodded.

"Ah." She downed both the aspirin and the coffee in one gulp. He had remembered that she liked it sweet and with cream.

Roy wasn't looking at her, and he seemed more than a little lost. Riza sighed.

"Come're." She held out a hand to him.

Roy made his way over to her, and Riza wrapped him in a hug.

"No matter what happens with this, it's not going to change our friendship. You aren't going to lose me because of this."

He hugged her back. "How come you always know what I'm thinking?"

"I know you. Now, let' see what we've got."

What they had was a packet from the wedding chapel. The wedding certificate was quite legal and binding. It even had their names spelled correctly. Riza scanned the paper to see who the witnesses were. She was mildly surprised to find that they were not Maes and Gracia Hughes. In fact, the names were of strangers as far as she could tell.

"Hey, we have pictures." Roy was sorting through the rest of the packet.

"Pictures?"

"From the wedding. They're nice."

She peered over his shoulder. The pictures were rather nice. Roy had worn the suit he'd been in when they had started celebrating sans the tie, and she herself was dressed in a royal blue dress. Riza though she might have seen in the hotel room some where earlier this morning. She frowned at the other blond woman and dark haired man in the picture.

"Who are they?"

"I think they were our witnesses." Roy considered the picture. "What does the marriage certificate say?"

"Our witnesses apparently were Vlad and Ava Draegan of London, England. I don't think I know them."

"Neither do I." Roy smirked. "We probably ran into them in a bar."

"No doubt." Riza sighed. "Well, it's legal. So what do you want to do?"

"Do you regret this?" His voice was serious.

"I would have liked to remember my own wedding." Riza shrugged. "We might have to do some spinning of events to protect the firm's reputation, and it will probably be a headache. Other than that? Not really, no. Unless…you regret this."

Roy sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder. He took her left hand in his and kissed her palm.

"I love you, you know."

"I know." Riza leaned into his embrace. "I love you too."

"Will you marry me?"

Riza turned in his arms so she could look him in the eye. "Isn't a little late to be asking? We're already married. Remember?"

"But I didn't ask you properly before." He pouted at her. "I love you, and I'm not drunk this time. I want to do this right."

She leaned in to kiss his nose. "Why don't you just make it up to me with a proper honeymoon?"

Roy kissed her. "That I can do."

For a few moments they simply basked in the peace and rightness they both felt at this new development. Then Roy frowned.

"What do you want to bet that Hughes was somehow involved in this?"

Riza just laughed. "Do we even want to know?"

Roy shook his head with a chuckle. "You're right as usual. So, what exactly did you have in mind for a proper honeymoon?"


	28. A Little Extra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 27: Tip.

**A Little Extra**

With a sigh, Riza tied on her apron and tucked her order pad into the front pocket. This wasn't the best job in the world, but it was decent and it helped pay for school, so she wasn't going to ask for more right now. Besides, it was a good place for people watching, and that didn't hurt given her creative writing minor. Taking a deep breath, Riza headed out front. A scan of the café told her that it was a light day traffic wise.

However, the journal man was here. He was one of the regulars. Every Tuesday and Thursday without fail he was at the table in the corner by five. Riza didn't know his name since he didn't tend to chat, but he was always writing in a notebook or journal, so she had mentally dubbed him the journal man. And he always tipped well. It also looked like he was about ready for a refill. Given that it was close to six, he would probably want green tea at this point instead of coffee. It was easy enough for her to make up a tray with the tea and one of the sweet sugar cookies he always ordered to go with it.

As she made her way over to him, two things struck Riza. He wasn't actually writing today, and if she didn't know better, she would say he was in tears. She carefully set the tray down on his table.

"Hey, are you all right? Do you need something?"

He looked up at her, and while he wasn't crying, his eyes were so full of pain. He hesitated a moment then whispered. "Could you sit with me for awhile?"

Riza scanned the room. There wasn't anything that Maria and Winry couldn't handle for now.

"Sure." She took the seat across from him.

The man hesitated again before speaking.

"My best friend died today. He had a wife and a daughter he loved so much. No matter where Maes went, he always carried a picture of his daughter to share." He opened his wallet. "I never told him I did too. Elysia's my goddaughter."

He held out a picture of a golden haired girl perched on a dark haired man's shoulders.

"She's beautiful."

"Yeah." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Maes was on his way to meet me. He'd stopped at the bank before hand. And of course, he had to be the one that the robbers made an example of."

Riza covered his hand with her own. It was easy enough to see that he was angry, sad, and feeling guilty all at the same time. It was never easy to lose someone, but sudden, unexpected death could shake you.

"He was practically my brother."

Stories came out in slow spurts, and Riza sat and listened. She couldn't help feeling sympathy for this man. This was quite clearly one of the worst days of his life, and it seemed he really had no one else to lean on for comfort. When her father had died, Riza knew she would have appreciated a sympathetic ear, and she saw no harm in providing him one. Besides, today was slow enough that the café didn't actually need three people working. It was hours later when he finally had exhausted his store of things to say.

He met her eyes. "Thank you. I think I just needed someone to talk to."

Riza shrugged and rose from her seat. "You're welcome."

He held out a hand. "I'm Roy Mustang."

"Riza Hawkeye."

That one act of kindness changed things. Roy would almost always chat with her when he came in and she was working, and Riza had started taking her break whenever he arrived. Roy had turned into a friend at some point, and truthfully, Riza didn't have many of those. It became normal for her to keep an eye out for him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and he never seemed to miss one of his regular days. She also couldn't help noticing that he was coming in a little more frequently than before as well. Not that Riza minded. Roy had turned out to be a surprising good friend, and she enjoyed his company.

Time passed, and they learned more about each other. Roy was a free lance writer. Maes had been his agent. When Riza ended up adopting the puppy one of her coworkers found out in the rain, Roy was the one who helped her figure out what all she needed for the dog. In some ways it was an odd little relationship. They rarely ever met outside of the café, and they really had only known one another for about eight months.

Still, Roy had turned out to be a very good friend, and Riza enjoyed spending time with him. Shaking her head to clear it, Riza finished tying on her apron and made her way out to the front counter. She had been running late today due to a lecture that had gone long. A quick scan of the café told her that Roy was not here. Riza blinked. When had she started expecting him to be? Still, it was a Thursday, and he was typically here by now. With a shrug, Riza got to work. She'd worry about this later.

When she finally had a chance to take her break, Riza made her way over to Roy's regular table. There was a book sitting there. Curious, she picked it up only for the book to fall open to the dedication page. It read: To Riza – I couldn't have continued with out you. Eyes wide, she flipped back to the cover to find that Roy Mustang was listed as the author.

"I really couldn't have finished it without your support."

Riza whirled around to find Roy standing behind her. He smiled at her.

"You kept me from doing something very stupid that day. And you've become one of the best friends I've ever had. Actually, I think I'm in love with you."

He stepped forward, catching her hands in his and kissing her soundly. When he pulled away, Riza felt a little dazed and her heart felt ready to overflow with emotion. Roy just smiled at her.

"Would you like to go out for dinner?"

Riza laughed, and this time she kissed him. "Yes."


	29. Your Love Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU. Theme 21: Sonata.

**Your Love Song**

With a sigh, Roy gathered up his music and closed the piano. He wasn't making any real progress, so he might as well quit for now. It was frustrating, but there was little else he could do. Hopefully, some mindless entertainment and a good night's sleep would do the trick. His final recital was just a month off, and he really needed to be able to play well for it. Roy knew what the problem was: he was bored. All of the music for his final recital so far were pieces that he had pretty much perfected. None of them were a challenge any more. In fact, there was very little music out there that was a challenge to him.

Roy Mustang was a piano virtuoso, and he would be graduating from the conservatory in just a month or so. He was looking forward to it. Anymore, he felt so stifled and confined by the institution. He had mastered just about every task they set for him. His one failing when it came to music though was his inability to compose. That meant when he needed something new and special to play, he couldn't create it himself. He had also yet to find a current composer with whom he really resonated with.

Oh, he still loved to play, and there were many old favorites that he frequently went back to. However, one of the things about the final recital was he was supposed to play something he had not performed before. The right piece of music for was proving incredibly hard to find, and Roy would admit that he was fed up with searching for it. He wanted something that was fresh and challenging and that he could really connect with. There were still a handful of pieces he had left to try out, but Roy really wasn't feeling up to facing them right now.

When he came back to the practice room the next day, Roy found it still in use. A young woman sat at the piano, pencil in hand. She was fairly pretty even if she was dressed rather austerely in a tan skirt and a green sweater. Blond hair was pulled back in a neat twist. She was frowning at the score in front of her though. Roy smiled slightly. He knew that feeling all to well. He hadn't actually meant to interrupt her, but the door didn't quite close quietly behind him, startling her into looking up.

"I'm sorry." She started gathering up her papers. "I didn't mean to take so long."

Roy smiled. "It's not a problem. Go ahead and finish. I don't mind waiting."

She hesitated a moment then carefully set the score back down. "It should only take a few minutes. I was just fine tuning this section."

Setting her pencil down, the woman played a few measures of an unfamiliar piece before making notes on her score. She did this number of times before finally playing the whole sequence together. It sounded a little stilted as if she was unfamiliar with the music, but it really was lovely. There were parts that also sounded vaguely familiar. With a nod, she set the pencil down and began gathering up her score. Roy had spent part of the time frantically racking his brain to figure out where he had seen her before.

"You're Hawkeye, right? I think we were both at Olivier Armstrong's recital this fall."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. "Riza Hawkeye. I'm a second year music student."

"Roy Mustang." He smiled at her. "What were you working on? It sounded interesting."

Riza ducked her head. "It's nothing really. Just something I've been playing with."

Roy blinked. That implied that she had composed the piece. That alone was pretty impressive. Not many of the music students here did much composing. There were a couple of classes on the subject, but it wasn't a strength of this particular program. And from what he had heard, she had done a good job with the piece.

"May I?" He took the score from her hands. "This looks interesting."

She blushed. "I guess. It's not really anything much. Just an idea that I've been playing with lately. It's not quite finished either."

Roy sat down at the piano, setting the score on the music stand. He read through it once before starting to play it. The sonata was really a clever piece. Riza had not only referenced a number of classic love songs, but she also had managed to tie everything together with her own theme. He could see what she meant by it not being quite finished too. There were a number of places that weren't quite tied together yet, and there wasn't a conclusion. Still, it was really something, and Roy itched to work on it some more.

His fingers glided over the keys, playing through it once again. "Can I have a copy of this?"

Riza blushed again.

"It's not finished yet," she protested.

"I don't mind. Besides, it would be interesting to see how this develops. It has a lot of potential."

It took some more cajoling on his part, but Riza finally promised to make him a copy of the music. Roy made a mental not to make sure his path crossed with this woman's on a regular basis from now on. It took a little research to figure out her class schedule, but once he knew that, Roy found every excuse he could to run across her. Riza Hawkeye was absolutely fascinating. She was not the prettiest woman he'd ever met, but she had a sharp sense of humor, a bright mind, and a love of music. Before too long they were actually planning on running into one another.

Roy continued to work on Riza's sonata. It was an absolutely facilitating piece to play. It was even better to work on it when Riza was around. She had a keen ear for both mistakes and expression. Often, she would adjust the piece while he was playing it. It was slow going, but Riza's sonata was coming together quite nicely. Now Roy just needed to get her permission to perform it at his recital. With a smile, Roy headed for the practice room he and Riza typically used.

Riza was already there. He could see her bent over the score, frowning, and he could see her pen moving. She looked up when he entered.

"I think this is almost done. I just have to play it through completely and do some final tweaking."

He sat down on the piano bench next to her. "Shall we give it a try then?"

The next two hours were spent working on the sonata. When they finally finished, the piece was as perfect as they were going to get it. Riza seemed satisfied with the result at least. Roy knew he was. He would want to work with the finished piece a little more before he preformed it, but it was a real gem of a piece.

"Do you have time to get coffee?" he asked.

Riza nodded. "I don't have any classes until tomorrow."

"Great."

He still hadn't quite figured out how to ask her if he could perform her piece in public. It was, he knew, her first completed piece of music, and she might want to have a professional play it if not play it herself. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask. It took him most of the time at the coffee shop to muster the courage to finally ask her. Riza had blushed and assent, if he was really sure he wanted to play it. He had assured her that he did, and a second question slipped out of his mouth.

"You will come to my recital, won't you?"

"Of course."

And she was there, sitting in the front row in a red dress that Roy found rather distracting. However, he made through most of the recital without any problems. Finally, they were down to the last song. The announcement was made:

"Roy Mustang performing 'Your Love Song', an original composition by Riza Hawkeye."

Taking a deep breath, Roy closed his eyes and began to play. He knew the music well enough not to need to actually see it to play it. Instead, Roy trusted his fingers to know what to play. He concentrated on what he wanted to music to say to the audience. Roy found himself so lost in the music that he was startled when it stopped and applause filled the room. In something of a daze, Roy accepted the applause and praise. Someone shoved a large bouquet in his arms. He spent the next ten minutes trying to get away from people who wanted to gush over him. At least everyone was saying that they loved Riza's sonata. What Roy really wanted to do was get a hold of Riza and see how she thought things had gone.

He finally caught up to her at the reception. For a moment, Roy just stood there taking in that crimson dress and the gorgeous smile she wore. Riza laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Congratulations. I think you make quite an entrance into your professional career."

He held out the flowers he was still carrying. "These are yours. I doubt it would have gone so well without your music."

Riza blushed. "You played it beautifully."

"Because you wrote beautiful music." Roy leaned in and kissed her lightly. "I don't suppose you have any other compositions we could work on together?"

She smiled and twined their fingers together. "Perhaps. You may have to bribe me with dinner first."

Roy laughed. "Not a problem. Are you free tomorrow night?"


	30. Steam Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is contains a little citrus. Please don't read if this offends you. Theme 13: Heatwave.

**Steam Heat**

Riza shivered. Central was suffering one of the coldest winters on record, and her heat was broken. She huddled in three layers of clothing and two blankets, and Riza still couldn't get warm. Even Hayate was too cold to do anything except sit in her lap. She sighed. Enough was enough. She refused to freeze in her own apartment because her landlord was too cheap to get the heat fixed. There was a place she could go, and Riza had given up on trying to talk herself out of it. It was a risk, yes, but she'd rather take it than freeze to death.

Tucking Hayate inside her coat, Riza wrapped a scarf around her neck and face and pulled on a hat. She was already wearing gloves. Locking the door behind her, she ventured out into the cold, snowy streets. Thankfully, her destination wasn't that far away, and the city had kept the sidewalks shoveled to some extent. Riza managed to make it to the apartment building in under twenty minutes. It was easy enough to let herself into the building and make her way up to the apartment she was looking for.

She sharply wrapped on the door. It took a few minutes for it to open.

"Hawkeye, what are you doing here?"

"My heat is out, sir." She carefully pushed past him; she could feel the waves of heat radiating from his apartment. "I hope it won't be an inconvenience for you."

"Well, I can't let my favorite lieutenant freeze to death, now can I?"

Riza stepped into the warmth of his apartment with a sigh. Blessed heat. She removed Hayate from her coat and set him down. Hayate, happy to be warm, curled up in front of the fireplace and promptly went to sleep. Roy locked the door and turned to help her peel off her coat and the rest of her winter garments. He tugged the gloves from her hands.

"Your hands are freezing!" He took her hands in his, kissing each fingertip.

Riza let out a soft sigh at the heat his lips left in their wake. Roy wrapped her in his embrace, his heat warming her.

"I'm cold, Roy." She snuggled deeper into his arms. "Warm me up?"

He pressed his lips to her shoulder "And how should I do that?"

She lifted her head to kiss him. His lips on her own were enough to begun to warm her. "You're the Flame Alchemist. I'm sure you can figure something out."

Roy smirked down at her. "Let's see then."

He began to peel off her remaining clothing, pressing kisses to the skin that was revealed. Roy began walking her back towards his bedroom. He tumbled her into his bed. Riza curled into his covers, slipping under the thick blankets. Roy followed her beneath the covers. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her softly. His fingers drew patterns on her chilled skin, leaving trails of warmth in their wake. Roy knew exactly how to set her on fire. Riza slipped her tongue into his mouth. Their kisses grew more and more heated.

Riza rolled on top of him with a coy smile, her hair creating a curtain around them as she leaned in for a kiss. Roy lifted a hand to trail his fingers through the fine blond strands.

"Are you warm yet, sweetheart?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

Roy smiled. "We'll have to fix that."

The next thing she knew, Roy had flipped them over so he was on top. His hands cupped her breasts, gently kneading them. He kissed his way down her neck and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. Riza moan and arched her back. Roy took it as encouragement. His lips soon had her writhing beneath him, and his fingers stole down to stroke between her legs. Riza gasped.

"Stop teasing already, Roy."

He smirked at her and kissed her quickly then thrust into her. The two of them found a familiar rhythm, and soon the world exploded into white hot heat. Afterwards, Riza snuggled against Roy, warm and cozy at last. Shared body heat could do wonders. All in all this was not a bad way to spend a cold winter night.


End file.
